Ha Jung-woo (하정우), standing vice chair of the National AI Strategy Committee, said he would go beyond the AI G3 and make South Korea an 'irreplaceable' country in the global AI core supply chain.

Ha posted his thoughts on being appointed standing vice chair of the committee on Facebook on Saturday. He returned to a key government AI post about 4 months after stepping down as the inaugural senior secretary for AI future planning to run in a parliamentary by-election in Busan Buk-gap. The vice chair post had been held concurrently by Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, who also serves as science and ICT minister, after former vice chair Im Moon-young left to run in a by-election in Gwangju Gwangsan-eul.

Ha said, "It seems they highly valued my experience in AI R&D and commercialization in the private sector, and my experience establishing the national AI strategy while working as senior secretary for AI future planning at Cheong Wa Dae." He said he felt a heavy responsibility.

He said global AI competition has recently expanded beyond a simple technology race into technology and security competition among countries. He assessed South Korea as having competitiveness in areas including memory semiconductors, frontier AI, physical AI based on manufacturing, and power infrastructure.

Ha stressed, "If these strengths are connected into a single national AI strategy, South Korea can become a country that is indispensable in the global AI core supply chain beyond being a leading country in the AI era."

He also set out an ambition to advance the national AI strategy and speed up policy implementation. He said many key issues have piled up during the roughly 4-month leadership vacuum and said he would upgrade the mid- to long-term strategy for achieving the AI G3 by one step together with Bae and newly appointed senior secretary for AI future planning Lee Hae-min.

He added, "We will realize a sustainable AI powerhouse and, above all, create results that people can feel with a sense of speed."

He also said he would support the government's three mega-projects and seven SEED projects. He said he aims to ensure that the results of AI industry growth do not concentrate on a few but lead to opportunities and growth for the entire public.

Ha said, "Ultimately, I will devote myself to realizing an 'irreplaceable South Korea' in the global AI core supply chain beyond the AI G3." He said, "I will repay the public with fast results they can feel."