As AI enters election spotlight, PPP candidates question feasibility of Lee’s W100tr vision
Four out of the eight candidates vying for the conservative People Power Party’s presidential nomination shared their vision and election pledges for South Korea's youth in a televised debate Saturday, where they also criticized the AI-related election pledges of the main opposition bloc leader, Lee Jae-myung.
Rep. Yang Hyang-ja of the People Power Party, a former Samsung Electronics veteran, referred to the main opposition Democratic Party as a faction “weak on the economy and high-tech industries.”
“In one of Lee’s political pledges, he says he would offer a Korean version of ChatGPT to everyone in the country. Why would he make a new one when there's a free version? And I have no idea what he means by ‘create an AI-based society by investing 100 trillion won ($70 billion),’” said Yang.
Yang, stressing her experience in passing a bill to support companies in the semiconductor industry with tax-free benefits and regulations, said she doubts whether the Democratic Party would accept such a 100 trillion won investment if it were in semiconductors, calling the party "strongly anti-business."
“Lee’s pledges are just an empty can. It should be shredded,” Yang said, as she tore up a piece of paper listing Lee’s election pledges.
Other contenders echoed her view.
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a former software entrepreneur, called Lee’s pledge “a sweet lie,” claiming he is the leader truly prepared with a deep understanding of the AI-driven future economy. Ahn emphasized his expertise across the full spectrum of AI-related policy — from software and hardware to workforce development and content.
Ahn, responding to comments by candidate Kim Moon-soo, former Minister of Employment and Labor, asked what areas Kim would specifically invest in based on his AI-related pledges.
“In terms of securing AI-related infrastructure and investing in startups, I would specifically invest in AI-related departments at schools and in venture firms. I’d like to bring experts and figures like you to chair committees and form a system to make strategic investments,” Kim told Ahn.
Meanwhile, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok said the best form of welfare for young people is to create jobs for them.
His election pledges include investing in high-tech industries such as AI, autonomous driving, 5G telecommunications and IoT, as well as nurturing young, global CEOs and supporting 100,000 young adults working overseas over the next five years.
Kim, regarding his pledges for youth, said he would leverage his experience as labor minister to transform the current national pension system in a way that provides relief to those working at companies without guaranteed retirement benefits.
Ahn proposed dividing the Ministry of Health and Welfare into two separate parts — a health division combined with the disease control and prevention authorities, and a welfare division with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and ultimately combining the latter with a proposed ministry for youth.
Yang, citing government data showing employees at large conglomerates have a 1.5 times higher birth rate than those who work at SMEs, mainly due to higher incomes and access to parental leave, said she would support Korean businesses to nurture five Samsung-tier conglomerates, each with assets worth 100 trillion won, so that young people can find jobs.
On Sunday at 2 p.m., the other four People Power Party contenders — North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo, Rep. Na Kyung-won, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and former party leader Han Dong-hoon — were set to participate in a televised debate on topics including social integration.
Altogether, eight People Power Party contenders will go through a public vote on Monday and Tuesday to select four candidates who will go to the primary's next round.
ddd@heraldcorp.com
