President Lee Jae Myung, center, speaks during a policy briefing on "strategic emerging energies for disruptive innovation," also known as "SEEDs," at the Blue House in central Seoul on Aug. 12.NEWS1
President Lee Jae Myung emphasized the importance of preparing for Korea’s next sources of economic growth beyond the AI era.
“We need to take advantage of this golden opportunity created by the semiconductor industry and prepare in advance for what will sustain us after the AI era,” Lee said during a meeting at the Blue House on Wednesday.
Lee identified seven areas as "strategic emerging engines for disruptive innovation," or "SEEDs": small modular reactors (SMRs), nuclear fusion, renewable energy, quantum technology, aerospace, advanced biotechnology and supply chains for advanced materials and components.
“They will become the next growth engines of our economy as well as core strategic assets for the country,” Lee said. “Looking back at human history, countries that invested in cutting-edge science and technology one step ahead have always prospered, while those that neglected them have declined.”
He described the current period as one of the most unpredictable eras.
“Until recently, the semiconductor industry was plagued by concerns of a crisis, but it has now entered a structural supercycle, while the AI revolution is fundamentally transforming industries and our lives,” Lee said. “In this era of profound transformation, it is extremely difficult to predict what advanced technologies will emerge in a few years or how dramatically the industrial landscape will change.”
Lee emphasized that whether the country becomes “a leader that enjoys limitless opportunities or remains a follower” depends on the choices the country makes.
Lee showed particular interest in the safety of SMRs.
SMRs are nuclear reactors with smaller power capacities and modular designs compared to conventional nuclear power plants. The reactors are being developed to power everything from ships on long-distance voyages to advanced technologies in the AI era and developers are seeking to improve safety and environmental performance.
President Lee Jae Myung, right, views a model of a superconducting 50-qubit quantum computer ahead of a meeting on the seven "SEEDs,” the administration’s future growth engines, at the Blue House in central Seoul on Aug. 12.NEWS1
“We plan to commercialize light-water SMRs by 2035 and begin construction of multipurpose non-light-water SMRs in the 2030s,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon.
Light-water SMRs are smaller versions of conventional reactors that use ordinary water for cooling, while non-light-water SMRs use other cooling materials and can be designed for purposes beyond generating electricity.
“From the public’s perspective, the bigger concerns are safety, the risk of explosions and the disposal of nuclear waste,” Lee said. “To what extent do SMRs alleviate these problems?”
After Bae and private-sector experts responded that the reactors do not explode and are safe, Lee stressed the need to improve public understanding of nuclear power.
The Kori nuclear power plant is seen behind a banner calling for an SMR to be built in Gijang County, Busan, on June 18.NEWS1
“There are sharply conflicting views on nuclear power, with assessments at opposite extremes, so considerable efforts will also be needed to improve public understanding,” Lee said.
On nuclear fusion, an industry expert told Lee that developing fusion energy is a long-term, high-risk undertaking that is difficult for private companies to shoulder alone.
“If it is something that must be done despite the high risks, it would be good to consider a special purpose company structure in which the public sector takes on the risk first and acquires an equity stake later if the project succeeds,” Lee said.
When participants called for “bold investment and sustained support” from the government, Lee pressed them for specifics of their issues, asking them if the issues were about regulations.
BY HA JUN-HO [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
