Kim Yong-beom Proposes Multilateral AI Alliance on July 23, Citing Korea's 50M-Person Market

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's Policy Director Kim Yong-beom proposed on July 23 that Korea should pursue multilateral cooperation with mid-sized nations rather than competing directly with the U.S. and China in artificial intelligence. Kim noted that Korea's domestic market of only 50 million people makes independent competition impractical, arguing instead for collaborative AI operating models in public services including healthcare, education, and administration.

President Lee Jae-myung is set to embark on a seven-night, 11-day visit to San Francisco and South America, where he will meet with OpenAI, Nvidia, Anthropic, and Broadcom CEOs, followed by stops in Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. The initiative aims to position Korea as a connector nation linking technology, capital, and supply chain partnerships among mid-sized economies.