National Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik: 'AI revolution a golden opportunity' for Korea

National Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik said Thursday that the legislature would support corporate innovation through timely legislation and respond swiftly to on-the-ground difficulties through regulatory reform.

Jo made the remarks in a congratulatory address on the second day of the 2026 FKI CEO Jeju Summer Forum, held at Lotte Hotel in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, saying the National Assembly would take the lead in creating a predictable environment for companies to innovate and invest.

On the Lee Jae Myung administration's goal of making South Korea one of the world's top three AI powers, Jo said, "The gap with the United States and China is very wide, but I believe we can build a strong AI nation — because we have a DNA that thrives in crisis and exceptionally talented people."

He said South Korea stands at a turning point where, backed by world-class semiconductor competitiveness and the manufacturing capabilities built by previous generations of business leaders, the country is no longer a "fast follower" but a "first mover" shaping new paradigms and setting the agenda.

Jo said he believed the strength of Korean business leaders would shine again in the face of the new challenge posed by AI, just as they had nurtured talent and achieved results through hard work. He pledged that the National Assembly would be a steadfast partner, ensuring business leaders could advance without wavering amid global challenges.

Assessing the environment surrounding South Korea, Jo said industrial structures are shifting rapidly as geopolitical tensions persist and economic nationalism spreads across the world.

He added that AI-driven advanced technology is not merely the future of technology but a core factor determining national competitiveness, and that the time has come to respond proactively as AI is driving a massive transformation on which national survival depends.

He said the AI revolution represents "perhaps a golden opportunity" for South Korea. Looking back at history, he recalled that even during the industrialization era, when the country lacked adequate technology and capital, business leaders and citizens united to create the Han River miracle — and though Korea was a step behind in the information and communications race, it rose as an ICT powerhouse in a short time.

He said South Korea had overcome its limitations within the constraints of its environment, forging its own competitiveness and delivering results. "The challenge and innovation of our business leaders was the driving force, and the entrepreneurial spirit was the greatest asset that built the Republic of Korea," he said.