Lee Jae Myung Unveils 2,000 Trillion Won AI Mega-Projects

President Lee Jae Myung unveiled the "Three Mega Projects for the Big Stride Forward" on June 29, 2026, an industrial strategy involving investments of up to 2,000 trillion won (approximately $1.3 trillion) over 10 years. The initiative focuses on three pillars: semiconductors, physical AI and humanoid robotics, and gigawatt-level AI data centers. The primary goal is to secure global leadership in AI-critical memory chips while fostering balanced regional development by shifting industrial concentration away from Seoul.

Central to the plan is an 800 trillion won investment by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to build four new memory chip fabrication plants in the southwestern Honam region, specifically Gwangju and Jeollanam-do. Additionally, 81 trillion won will be directed toward a semiconductor packaging hub in the Chungcheong region. The government is implementing a "3S+1F" strategy—emphasizing speed, stronghold, and spearhead—to fast-track infrastructure, power, and water permits. Parallelly, the plan targets 1,000 trillion won for AI data centers to reach 18.4 gigawatts of capacity by 2035, with sites in Ulsan, Donghae, and Sejong.

Beyond industrial growth, Lee Jae Myung announced a national strategy to cultivate security-technology champions by 2030, aiming for five companies valued over 1 trillion won to compete with global firms like Palantir. While corporate leaders Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won committed to these goals, the opposition People Power Party criticized the plan as politically motivated government intervention. Markets reacted with caution, as shares of Samsung and SK Hynix fell amid concerns over potential future supply gluts.