South Korea

Yonhap | English | News | Nov. 5, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

A global semiconductor industry meeting, the Government-Authorities Meeting on Semiconductors (GAMS), will take place this week in Busan, South Korea. The event is scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday and will host approximately 100 representatives from both the public and private sectors, including participants from South Korea, the United States, Japan, and the European Union.

Founded in 1999, GAMS convenes annually to allow industry leaders to address key challenges facing the global semiconductor market. Topics for discussion at this year's meeting include future market conditions, intellectual property rights, and regulatory issues affecting business and trade among member countries.

[특집 4호] AI 이동통신 인프라 고도화의 주요 쟁점

KISDI | Local Language | Government | Nov. 5, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

The current state of domestic mobile communication infrastructure advancement has shown significant stagnation, raising concerns about its ability to serve as effective connectivity infrastructure in the evolving AI era. The development of both AI computing infrastructure and AI telecom infrastructure is crucial for the widespread application of AI in everyday life and various industries. Specifically, AI mobile communication infrastructure is increasingly recognized as a fundamental component that ensures stable access to AI services under all conditions. Despite this importance, the domestic mobile communication infrastructure progress has lagged since the rollout of 5G technology.

Several challenges have contributed to this stagnation. Firstly, the previously effective competitive dynamic among mobile operators, which was based on equipment-driven competition, has ceased to function properly. This breakdown has resulted in industry stagnation and hindered the revitalization of the infrastructure sector. Secondly, the slowdown in infrastructure development has delayed the emergence of 5G-specific new services, consequently hindering the delivery of advanced service experiences to both users and industries. Thirdly, aggressive industrial policies implemented by global powers, specifically the United States and China, have introduced additional risks and challenges to the domestic mobile communication ecosystem.

This convergence of challenges has led to a situation where, despite the growing international significance of mobile communication technology as a strategic technology, the domestic mobile communication infrastructure industry risks losing ground. If the current stagnation continues, it will hinder the development and seamless utilization of AI services, negatively affect the quality of AI experiences for users and industry players, and ultimately diminish national competitiveness.

To address these concerns and prepare effectively for the AI era, the analysis highlights four key issues. These include the imperative to advance 5G mobile communications to meet the demands of the AI era, the development and differentiation of new 5G Standalone (SA) services including considerations around net neutrality, the recognition of universal rights to mobile communication infrastructure access in the AI context, and the impact of U.S.-China hegemonic competition on the infrastructure industry ecosystem. These focal points are essential for guiding future strategies to overcome current limitations and secure the role of mobile communications in the AI-driven future.

Yonhap | English | News | Nov. 5, 2025 | Shifting Geopolitical Alliances

South Korea and the United States are expected to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a joint fact sheet this week regarding their recently concluded trade and security agreements. These documents will detail the agreements reached after summit talks between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, including South Korea's pledge of US$350 billion in exchange for reduced U.S. tariffs. The final coordination for releasing these joint documents is underway, with no major differences reported between the two countries.

Despite the progress, South Korea expressed dissatisfaction with the tariff negotiations, particularly with the $200 billion cash investment, which includes an annual limit of $20 billion. President Lee has not given a positive assessment of the deal's outcome. Additionally, the agreement includes U.S. approval for South Korea to produce nuclear fuel for a nuclear-powered submarine, a move resulting from diplomatic efforts to secure support from both Washington and Beijing amid North Korea's advancement in nuclear capabilities. This development follows North Korea's public announcement in March of its project to build a nuclear-powered submarine.