President Lee Jae Myung announced the San Francisco AI Declaration to position South Korea as an irreplaceable core country in the global AI supply chain [1].
The move signals South Korea's intent to leverage its semiconductor dominance to secure critical investments and strategic alliances with the world's leading technology firms.
President Lee departed Seoul on July 24, 2026 [2], beginning an 11-day tour of the U.S. and South America [3]. The first stop of the journey is San Francisco, where the president is spending seven nights [4]. During this leg of the trip, Lee met with major tech CEOs to discuss the creation of an AI supply-chain alliance [5].
The San Francisco AI Declaration centers on a massive AI supply-chain project valued at $950 billion [6]. By highlighting the essential role of South Korean semiconductors in the AI ecosystem, Lee said he aims to ensure that the nation remains a central hub for hardware, and infrastructure development [5].
While the president focused on securing private-sector investment, some observers have questioned the viability of the initiative. Reports from SBS News said the San Francisco AI Declaration may be difficult to implement without significant government involvement [7]. Conversely, other reports indicate that Lee has already secured investment, and strong backing from the private sector to move the project forward [1].
The diplomatic push is designed to solidify the relationship between South Korean hardware capabilities and the software innovation concentrated in the U.S. tech sector [5]. This alignment is intended to protect the national economy against volatility in the global chip market, and accelerate the deployment of next-generation AI technologies [5].
“Positioning South Korea as an irreplaceable core country in the global AI supply chain.”
The San Francisco AI Declaration represents a strategic effort by South Korea to transition from a component supplier to a systemic leader in the AI era. By tethering its semiconductor industry to a $950 billion global project, Seoul is attempting to create a 'mutual dependency' with U.S. tech giants, ensuring that the global AI infrastructure cannot function without South Korean hardware.
