President Lee Jae-myung announced the 'San Francisco AI Declaration' during an AI summit in the U.S. to position South Korea as a global AI leader [1].
The declaration signals South Korea's strategic intent to secure its role in the global technology landscape by leveraging its dominant position in hardware manufacturing. As artificial intelligence relies heavily on high-performance chips, the move seeks to ensure the nation remains indispensable to both Western tech hubs and Asian manufacturing corridors.
Speaking at the event in San Francisco, where leaders of global big tech companies had gathered, Lee outlined a vision for the country's role in the emerging AI era [1]. The initiative focuses on the intersection of semiconductor production and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
According to YTN News, the president said that South Korea aims to leap forward as a core nation in the AI supply chain [1]. This goal involves a commitment to maintain semiconductor production regardless of external crises [1].
By anchoring the declaration in San Francisco, the center of technological innovation, the administration intends to strengthen ties with the private sector and international partners. The strategy emphasizes that continuous chip production is the foundation for any sustainable AI growth strategy.
"Any crisis notwithstanding, the goal is to continue semiconductor production and leap forward as a core nation in the AI supply chain," said YTN reporter Kang Jin-won [1].
“South Korea will keep semiconductor production running and become a core nation in the global AI supply chain.”
This declaration reinforces South Korea's strategy of 'semiconductor diplomacy.' By explicitly linking chip manufacturing to the AI supply chain, the administration is attempting to create a strategic dependency that protects the nation from geopolitical volatility while ensuring it remains a primary partner for U.S. big tech firms.
