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South Korea
Intelligence for Better Decision Making
South Korea Unveils National Strategy to Lead Global AI Semiconductor Race
Dec. 11, 2025 | Technology & InnovationSouth Korea is charting an ambitious path to solidify its leadership in semiconductor technology and policy amid the global AI race.
**On December 10, 2025, President Lee Jae-myung convened a high-level briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul under the theme “K-Semiconductor Vision and Development Strategy in the AI Era.” The briefing brought together key government figures and roughly 40 leaders from industry, academia and research institutions, including representatives from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.**
It stressed the dual role of the semiconductor sector as an engine of economic growth and a pillar of national security as global rivalry in AI technologies intensifies.
**The government set strategic objectives to secure South Korea’s place among the world’s top two in both memory and foundry by preserving an “ultra-gap” technological edge.**
It aims to increase domestic fabless semiconductor revenue tenfold and achieve technology and production sovereignty through the development and commercialization of next-generation memory solutions and neural processing units. The plan also calls for strengthening system semiconductor capabilities—especially on-device AI chips—and for achieving self-reliance in defense-grade semiconductors.
**To support these goals, the strategy launches a Global No 1 Development Project to reinforce supply chains for materials, parts and equipment.**
It calls for opening semiconductor-focused graduate schools to build a larger skilled workforce and for creating a Southern Region Innovation Belt to expand the nation’s semiconductor ecosystem. During the briefing, participants discussed changes in the AI-driven industry, plans to increase production capacity and the need to cultivate a robust AI semiconductor technology and ecosystem.
**On December 11, President Lee will meet with business executives from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, government officials and industry experts to refine strategies for advancing the semiconductor sector, with a particular focus on AI chip development.**
The session aims to address rising global competition for AI technology leadership through a coordinated national strategy.
**Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan will present an integrated government roadmap that emphasizes strengthening manufacturing capabilities in memory and foundry, expanding the nation’s role in chip design and accelerating next-generation semiconductors tailored to AI model requirements.**
The presidential office framed the global AI contest as a semiconductor-centered technology battle, prompting President Lee to mobilize national resources directly to bolster the industry.
US Approves Nvidia H200 AI Chip Exports to China in Strategic Shift of Semiconductor Policy
Dec. 11, 2025 | Geopolitics & DefenseThe United States has granted permission for the export of Nvidia’s H200 AI chip to China, ushering in a new phase of semiconductor trade dynamics.
**The United States approved the export of Nvidia’s H200 AI chip to China, partially relaxing the 2022 restrictions.**
Former President Donald Trump announced the deal on December 8, 2025, allowing Nvidia, AMD, Intel and other American firms to sell the H200 under conditions designed to protect national security. This represents the first approval for such an advanced AI processor since the 2022 export controls took effect.
**Based on the 2023 Hopper architecture, the H200 delivers roughly twice the inference performance and six times the AI training power of the earlier H20 chip.**
US officials excluded more advanced Nvidia products—those built on the Blackwell architecture and the forthcoming Rubin family—from the arrangement. By permitting exports of this earlier-generation, high-performance chip, policymakers aim to preserve a technological lead without forfeiting access to lucrative sales.
**Under the agreement, Nvidia must remit 25 percent of its China-derived revenues from H200 sales to the US government, up from an initial 15 percent proposal.**
The government will allocate these funds to bolster domestic job creation and semiconductor manufacturing, balancing export facilitation with continued economic and security interests in strategic technology.
**South Korean suppliers SK hynix and Samsung Electronics stand to gain from increased H200 orders, as both companies produce the eight-layer HBM3E high-bandwidth memory modules integral to the chip’s performance.**
China’s mandate favoring domestically produced semiconductors may limit H200 imports, depending on Beijing’s policy toward foreign hardware deployment versus homegrown alternatives.
**Observers view this approval as a strategic shift in Washington’s competition with China in AI and semiconductors.**
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says selling chips to China reinforces US market influence and deepens Chinese reliance on American technology. The decision reflects a belief that US leverage over China’s chip capabilities has weakened after advances by firms such as Huawei. It also aligns with the more conciliatory climate ahead of the planned April 2026 US-China summit, using exports and financial terms to shape broader technology relations.
Monitored Intelligence for South Korea - Dec. 12, 2025
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"한일 정상회담, 日나라 고찰서 개최 조율…아베 피격 장소 헌화도 검토"
Japan-South Korea summit coordinated to be held at Japanese temple…considering wreath-laying at the site of Abe's shooting
Hankyung | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes
President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are coordinating a summit to be held in Nara City, Japan, around January 13–14, 2026. The leaders plan to hold talks and a dinner in Nara, which is Takaichi’s birthplace and electoral district, and a former ancient capital of Japan.
The historic temple Tōdai-ji, known for its Great Buddha statue and cultural ties to the Korean kingdom of Baekje, is being considered as the venue for the summit. There is also a proposed visit to the site near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City, where former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in 2022, to lay flowers. Takaichi, a hardline conservative, is known to pursue Abe’s political line.
Following their first meeting at the October 30 APEC summit in Gyeongju, President Lee expressed interest in visiting Nara Prefecture, which Takaichi supported. This will be Lee’s first visit to Japan since Takaichi took office.
The summit's location in a regional area like Nara is expected to create a more intimate atmosphere by omitting formal ceremonies. Japan aims to reaffirm cooperation with South Korea amid deteriorating relations with China and continue improving bilateral ties.
금융보안원 "연이은 해킹, 디지털 혁신만큼 AI·제로트러스트 중요"
Financial Security Institute "Consecutive Hacks Make AI and Zero Trust as Important as Digital Innovation"
Digital Daily | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Cyber Attacks and Data Loss
Park Sang-won, president of the Financial Security Institute, emphasized the critical need to strengthen AI technology frameworks and implement zero-trust security strategies to prevent large-scale security incidents in the financial sector. Speaking at the "Financial IT Innovation" event in Seoul on December 11, 2025, he asserted that the importance of security has grown to equal that of digital innovation, urging financial companies to continuously develop new security systems.
Financial authorities are shifting from rule-based regulations to principle-centered security frameworks, encouraging firms to build autonomous security environments. Park highlighted that with the government's move to relax network separation regulations, financial companies should focus on constructing updated security frameworks beyond traditional network separation.
AI is highlighted as a vital strategy to address evolving security challenges. The Financial Security Institute is supporting financial companies by providing AI security assessments and performance verification metrics. Park also noted ongoing preparations of unique AI guidelines for the financial sector in collaboration with financial authorities, driven by the AI Innovation Act.
Zero trust, which assumes threats arise both externally and internally, was underscored as essential following recent hacking incidents. The Institute is working with financial companies through consultative bodies to implement zero trust and is exploring models for export and overseas trends.
Park forecasted that as AI integration advances in financial services, leading to complex interconnections and innovation, security will become increasingly crucial. He described this shift as moving beyond digitalization toward AI-based reconfiguration, necessitating stronger security measures.
S. Korea's economy to grow 2.3 pct next year: S&P
Yonhap | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth
S&P Global Ratings projected that South Korea's economy will grow by 2.3 percent in 2026, indicating that the most challenging period for the country is likely over. The credit agency noted that overall credit conditions will remain difficult but expects modest improvement compared to 2025, based on more favorable global economic conditions and eased tariff pressures following a trade deal between South Korea and the United States in October 2025.
The agency highlighted that performance across key industries will vary, with the semiconductor sector expected to show strong results, while chemical companies may struggle due to oversupply and slower-than-anticipated restructuring efforts. S&P also indicated that changes in U.S. policies could impact South Korean firms, and ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions might create new business opportunities for South Korean companies.
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