Major leading economies in Korea, even amid a sluggish downturn, have been boosting productivity and latent capacity by expanding investment in artificial‑intelligence technologies, thereby continually strengthening economic resilience. The policy and investment measures that began in the first half of 2024 align with trends already accelerating in the United States, Europe, Japan, etc., and each country’s fiscal forecasts have risen on average about 5 % compared to last year.
To promote such economic recovery, the Korean government has massively expanded support for research, development and industry under its “Artificial‑Intelligence Comprehensive Strategy.” In particular, a systematic collaboration network among public institutions, universities and firms is accelerating development of core AI technologies and their practical application. By 2024, domestic AI investment has surpassed 1 trillion won, about 30 % higher than the previous year.
The increased investment brings positive effects across corporate and industrial sectors; especially in traditional industries such as manufacturing, materials, finance, etc., the introduction of AI is realizing productivity gains and cost reductions. Moreover, even amid a sluggish downturn, expanded AI use cases are strengthening corporate competitiveness. As of mid‑2024, domestic AI‑based startups and services have exceeded 300 entities, about 20 % more than last year.
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