The 2026 Future Finance Forum, hosted by ChosunBiz on the 13th at the Westin Josun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, wrapped up to great success. With the theme "the future of productive finance and innovation industries," leading academics and finance experts at home and abroad, businesspeople, and government official attended to forecast the future of the finance industry and explore ways to support innovation industries.
Participants agreed that as global competition for technological supremacy intensifies, active capital supply by private financial firms is needed. They said the government, innovation corporations, and financial companies must work together to craft new strategies to gain an edge in the technology race. The government also pledged that the 150 trillion won Public Growth Fund would serve as priming water for the growth of innovation industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and bio. A total of about 400 finance industry officials and political figures attended the event.
National Policy Committee Chairperson Yoon Han-hong of the People Power Party and Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok stressed in congratulatory remarks that Korea's finance industry needs structural reform for innovation industries to advance. Chairperson Yoon said, "Breaking the inertia of traditional finance is not a simple goal that can be achieved overnight," adding, "We must change the structure of Korea's finance with a long-term view." Lee said, "One of the hottest topics lately is the semiconductor boom, and it seems discussions are beginning on how Korea will share these gains. We need to create new financial products based on the buoyant semiconductor market."
Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young delivered a keynote speech on "the role of productive finance for innovation-driven growth in the age of AI transformation." Lee said that in the AI era, when the value of intangible asset is becoming more important, private finance must take the lead in investing in innovation industries. Because government support alone has limits, private finance should design the "board" of the industrial hegemony competition.
The first lecturer, Furkan Karayaka, deputy head and chief financial officer of the Türkiye Investment Office, said, "Türkiye is the world's 17th-largest economy by GDP," emphasizing, "The domestic market is also solid with strong purchasing power, making it attractive to foreign investors."
Kim Hak-kyun, chair of the Korea Venture Capital Association, noted that the United States has a financial system that nurtures listed corporations into global corporations, but Korea does not, saying, "We need a financial system that can develop companies listed on KOSDAQ into global corporations."
Son Young-chae, head of the Public Growth Fund Promotion Team at the Financial Services Commission, also agreed that AI investment by domestic private financial firms is lacking, saying, "We are pushing the Public Growth Fund with a sense of urgency to be the priming water that supports Korea's industries for the next 20 years."
A panel discussion followed, moderated by Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies Professor Lee Yoon-soo. The panel assessed that for global high-tech corporations like U.S. Nvidia to emerge from Korea, steady investment based on confidence in the growth drivers of technology venture corporations is necessary.
The afternoon session was held under the theme "the meeting of virtual asset and the real world." Speakers said the global virtual asset market is entering a mature phase and projected that stablecoins will spur innovation in the real economy.
Korea Pay Strategy Team Leader Lee Yoon-beom, the first speaker of the afternoon session, said, "Stablecoins will go beyond a simple means of payment to become a medium that can improve settlement structures." Catherine Chen, head of institutional investment at Binance Holdings Ltd., said, "As traditional financial institutions participate in virtual asset businesses, the industry is maturing," adding, "The rapid efficiency of stablecoins will bring innovation to payment and remittance systems."
Lee Eun-jin, Asia-Pacific (APAC) sales director at Ripple, assessed, "The likely winners in the virtual asset market going forward will be institutions that build the most stably controlled and executable structures."
In the subsequent panel discussion moderated by Seoul National University Business School Professor Lee Jong-seop, participants agreed that regulatory improvements by authorities are needed to vitalize stablecoins. Chen said, "It is important for authorities to take an open view and craft necessary regulations."