Deputy Minister for Policy Kim Yong-beom at Cheong Wa Dae proposed a "national dividend" that would return excess tax revenues from record profits by Korean corporations in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) to all citizens. He noted that, because Korea holds supply chains for AI-integrated infrastructure such as memory semiconductors, batteries, displays, and power equipment, a long boom and excess tax revenues are expected; however, given the current structure in which wealth is likely to concentrate in only some groups, a mechanism is needed to stably distribute tax revenues from excess profits.
Deputy Minister Kim said on the night of the 11th on Facebook, "The fruits of the AI infrastructure era are not the result of certain corporations alone," adding, "They come from an industrial foundation that the entire people have built together over half a century." He went on, "Some of those fruits should be structurally returned to all citizens," and tentatively named this the "national dividend." Specifically, he cited a youth startup asset, a basic income program for rural communities, support for artists, strengthening the old age pension, and a transition-education account for the AI era.
Deputy Minister Kim said, "Excess profits in the AI era are by nature concentrated," adding that only groups with access to productive assets—such as shareholders of memory corporations, key engineers, and asset holders in the capital region—will benefit through market mechanisms. Conversely, he viewed that a considerable portion of the middle class would enjoy only indirect effects such as improved purchasing power from a stronger won, limited fiscal transfer, and some asset gains.
He said, "If excess tax revenues do not arise, the national dividend is a pipe dream," but added, "If the logic holds, then letting the fruits of those excess profits flow out with no principles at all is the more irresponsible choice." He continued, "Even if the nation becomes wealthy, the distribution of wealth does not spread automatically," saying that "how to socially stabilize excess profits" is the key question of the AI era.
Deputy Minister Kim's social media post came as the Samsung Electronics union is demanding institutional changes such as "abolishing the cap on performance bonuses" and "allocating 15% of operating profit as the bonus pool," confronting management ahead of a general strike. Deputy Minister Kim did not explicitly name Samsung Electronics in the post. However, because he mentioned the semiconductor industry and a KOSPI boom, the message appears to be in line with President Lee's continued emphasis to unions on "sharing the fruits together" and a "sense of community."
He said, "The fruits of the AI infrastructure era are not the result of certain corporations alone. They come from an industrial foundation that the entire people have built together over half a century," adding, "If so, then the principle and legitimacy of designing the (tentatively named national dividend system) is that some of those fruits should be structurally returned to all citizens."