President Lee Jae-myung on the 26th addressed the shortage of graphics processing units (GPUs), a core component of artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, saying "GPUs will increasingly be needed on a large scale," and added, "If necessary to make purchases, we may soon proceed with a supplementary budget." He also suggested formulating an extra budget bill, noting that additional funding is needed to buy GPUs and saying, "We probably need to make up for it."
At the "strategy meeting to foster innovative firms for future new security" held at Cheong Wa Dae that day, Lee asked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol and others about the status of securing domestic GPU supplies, then said, "Isn't the pace of acquisition too slow?" and added, "This, too, is an administrative mess. I heard the Gwangju computing center also has system problems and isn't being properly utilized."
Cheong Wa Dae expects higher-than-anticipated tax revenue this year thanks to a semiconductor boom and is reviewing injecting additional funds into key areas separate from next year's budget proposal. Earlier, at a Cabinet meeting on the 23rd, Lee said, "Even if we lower fuel taxes, the fiscal burden is not that big, and this helps expand spending power for ordinary people," adding, "If we are to add policies to support incomes for ordinary people now amid high inflation, don't we lack resources?" thereby raising the need for a supplementary budget.
Under the Lee Jae-myung administration, there have so far been two rounds of supplementary budgets. In July last year, a 3.18 trillion won supplementary budget bill passed the National Assembly plenary session to fund measures including "consumption coupons" for livelihood recovery. Then in April this year, a 2.62 trillion won "war supplementary budget" was drawn up to respond to the fallout of high inflation from the Middle East war.
◇Lee: "The government funds technology development expense and receives compensation upon success"
At the meeting, a policy was discussed under which the government would support expense on the premise of "acquiring equity upon success" for individual corporations' innovative technology research and development.
After listening to corporations' difficulties, Lee said, "When you develop a new technology, you actually have to build it and try it, but they hesitate because if it fails, it seems like they will just waste the expense, even though the chance of success is very high. That said, it is difficult for (small) corporations to spend their own money on development," adding, "Whether through a fund or a research fund, the government can support the expense, and if it succeeds, the government can acquire equity in that part or receive compensation to obtain a return."
In response, Presidential Office Policy Director Kim Yong-beom said, "We are trying to further expand such a system now." Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon also cited the Public Growth Fund, saying, "We decided to invest in a company related to a missile defense system, and by structuring 500 billion won as preferred stock on a project basis, we can create many in the concept the president mentioned."