Overview
- The government projects real GDP growth of 2% in 2026, citing firmer domestic demand and a stronger semiconductor upcycle, a view slightly above the Bank of Korea’s 1.8% and near the OECD’s 2.1%.
- A presidential-level semiconductor committee will be established to pursue the goal of becoming the world’s No. 2 chip powerhouse, with a five-year industry master plan slated by the fourth quarter.
- The AI agenda includes breaking ground on a national computing center and securing 15,000 GPUs in 2026 on the way to 52,000 by 2028, alongside citywide autonomous vehicle tests in the first half.
- Financing measures feature a 30 trillion won National Growth Fund launching deployments this year, a 600 billion won public participation fund by the third quarter, and plans for a 20 trillion won sovereign wealth fund with operational details due in the first half.
- Market and policy steps include a roadmap toward MSCI developed-market inclusion, 24-hour onshore FX trading from July, pilot use of deposit tokens and digital assets in state finance, and a pledge to manage price stability and risks in FX, real estate and financial markets.