People Power Party lawmaker Choi Eun-seok said on the 16th that how to combine retail strategies for the age of artificial intelligence (AI) with the global competitiveness of K-brands will become a new growth engine for South Korea's retail industry.
Choi said this in congratulatory remarks at the "2026 ChosunBiz Consumer and Retail Forum" held at the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Josun Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, saying the retail industry is entering an era of massive transition.
He said that if good quality and reasonable prices were once the key conditions for a hit product, now it is becoming more important how consumers discover products, what experiences lead them to trust a brand, and what motivations drive their purchase decisions.
He added that AI is moving beyond analyzing and predicting these processes to becoming a new platform that connects consumers and corporations, and that AI is evolving from a technology that improves retail efficiency to one that designs consumer choices.
In this context, Choi cited the global growth experience of the Bibigo brand. Choi is a politician who came from an entrepreneur background, having served as CEO of CJ CheilJedang of CJ Group, and was selected as one of Korea's top 100 chief executive officers (CEOs) in 2022.
He said the reason Bibigo dumplings were able to succeed in the global market was not simply because of product quality. It was because the company continuously analyzed what consumers wanted and how they chose, and reflected that in its products and marketing strategy, adding that AI is making this far more sophisticated and faster than before.
Choi also emphasized the potential of K-brands. He said the spread of the Korean Wave driven by K-dramas and K-pop is now extending to K-food, beauty, fashion, and lifestyle overall, adding that global consumers are no longer just seeking Korean products but are consuming Korea's culture and experiences together.
He also noted that the National Assembly will do its best to improve systems and support policies so that our corporations can seize opportunities in the AI era and grow further in global markets.