ED Bold yet problematic AI visions

This combined photo shows, from left, Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jun-seok, a presidential candidate of a minor party. Yonhap

On the first day of the official campaign period, the presidential candidates of the People Power Party (PPP) and the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) launched their campaigns at contrasting yet symbolic venues.

The DPK’s candidate, Lee Jae-myung, who currently leads public opinion polls with double-digit margins, kicked off his campaign Monday at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. In his opening speech, he emphasized his commitment to national unity amid deepening political polarization.

His rival, Kim Moon-soo of the PPP, began his campaign at Garak Market, a major agricultural products hub in southeastern Seoul’s Songpa District. Kim, who reclaimed his candidacy after a dramatic win in a public opinion survey of PPP members late Saturday night — following a week-long dispute with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo — chose to connect with self-employed citizens. At the market, he mingled with vendors and shared a humble meal of sundaeguk (blood sausage soup) with his staff and vendors, highlighting his humble beginnings and pledging to make the voices of the underprivileged heard.

Later that day, both candidates unveiled their respective 10-point policy platforms, which shared a common focus: the economy.

This focus is far from unexpected. The Korean economy has shown troubling signs lately. According to recent data from the Bank of Korea, the country's GDP contracted in the first quarter for the first time since 2020, shrinking by 0.246 percent from the previous quarter — the worst performance among 19 major economies. With U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies threatening further damage, the next president faces an uphill battle to restore economic momentum.

Acknowledging this grim outlook for the Korean economy, both Kim and Lee have pledged to foster a business-friendly environment and make bold investments in artificial intelligence (AI) as part of their economic recovery strategies.

Despite their ambitious rhetoric, both candidates' AI visions suffer from a lack of specificity and credibility.

Kim pledged to make Korea one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses by significantly increasing investment in the sector. He proposed training 200,000 AI professionals and ramping up nuclear energy production to meet the soaring electricity demands of data centers. To fund this, he vowed to establish a 100 trillion won investment fund through a public-private partnership.

However, questions remain unanswered. How was the target of 200,000 professionals determined? Is it realistic to produce that number of highly skilled workers within five years? Korea is already grappling with a growing brain drain in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) — fields essential for AI development. Many of the country’s brightest students increasingly opt for medical school over STEM disciplines. If Kim’s plan is to succeed, he must outline concrete strategies to reverse this trend and make STEM careers more attractive.

Similar flaws are evident in Lee's AI strategy. His proposals largely mirror Kim’s — promising to dramatically increase the national budget for AI and position Korea as a global leader in the field.

But Lee faces a different hurdle: trust. Voter skepticism stems from the DPK’s recent track record. Just last year, the party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, unilaterally passed a budget that included steep cuts to science and technology funding — ironically, the very sectors Lee’s campaign now wants to prioritize. The move, made without coordination with Cabinet ministries or the PPP, cast doubt on the party’s long-term commitment to technological advancement.

While Kim’s plan raises concerns about feasibility, Lee’s suffers from a lack of public confidence rooted in his party’s past decisions. Both candidates must address these issues directly and present more realistic, actionable AI strategies. As they themselves acknowledge, AI is crucial to Korea’s economic future, and vague promises are not enough.

Adding urgency to this matter is the unique nature of the upcoming snap election on June 3, triggered by the ousting of President Yoon Suk Yeol following his declaration of martial law. The incoming president will assume office immediately without the benefit of a transition committee, which typically acts as a policy incubator and troubleshooting mechanism. This means the winning candidate must be prepared to implement workable, ready-to-go policies from Day 1.

Kim and Lee must refine their AI proposals into practical, trustworthy road maps. One of them is highly likely to become the next president — and Korea cannot afford half-formed plans at such a critical moment.