Park Sang-jin, chair of KDB Korea Development Bank, said on the 19th that through the successful operation of the National Growth Fund, the bank will provide timely financing needed for advanced strategic industries such as AI (artificial intelligence), semiconductors, secondary batteries, and biohealth.
Park said this in opening remarks at the Next100 Forum held at the Conrad Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul, under the theme "The role of policy finance for Korea's renewed leap in an era of hyper-uncertainty," saying, "We will establish a virtuous cycle between industry and finance and explore the role and direction of policy finance so that corporations can continuously build competitiveness."
Park noted, "The world is being reconfigured amid strengthening global trade barriers and the U.S.-China hegemonic competition in advanced technology," adding, "In particular, technological innovation in advanced industries is proceeding at an unprecedented pace, reshaping the global industrial landscape, and Korea also faces internal challenges, including a decline in the working-age population due to low birthrates and aging and weakening manufacturing competitiveness." He continued, "We will develop discussions on semiconductors and AI into a concrete goal of entering the ranks of the top three AI powers and jointly seek ways to build an AI ecosystem where technology, industry, talent, and investment come together," adding, "We will concentrate all capabilities to support industrial innovation and the growth of corporations amid the demands of the times."
The Next100 Forum is a venue to explore the direction of Korea's industry and finance policies for the next 100 years. Following Park's opening remarks, congratulatory messages were delivered by Yoon Han-hong, chair of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, and Kwon Dae-young, vice chair of the Financial Services Commission.