Korea Economic Institute

09/09/2026

Before the end of this year, all 51 million residents of South Korea will have free, unmetered access to a domestically built AI chatbot and a public service agent. No other government has attempted anything at that scale.

In new analysis for KEI, Senior Visiting Fellow Henry Haggard examines President Lee Jae Myung's "AI for All" initiative and the three pillars behind it: Korea's dominance in memory chips, its ambition to adopt AI faster and more broadly than any other country, and its commitment to spreading the benefits. He also looks at the AI Basic Act, which took full effect in January 2026 and made Korea the first country in the world with a comprehensive AI law fully in force, while the EU has deferred its high-risk obligations to December 2027 and the United States has no horizontal AI law at all.

Haggard argues the harder work is evaluation capacity, and that closer coordination between Korea's AI Safety Institute and U.S. safety institutes would strengthen the position of both countries.

In December 2026, 51 million people will get a free chatbot with no usage limits, running on Korean models. No other country has attempted anything close

09/01/2026

Japan-South Korea relations have proven more stable than many expected. While North Korea remains a major security concern, shifts in U.S. policy could create new challenges for Seoul-Tokyo ties.

09/01/2026

Nearly a year into the U.S.-Korea investment MOU, Korea has not announced a single project.

In this week's KEI Weekly, Nils Wollesen Osterberg argues the delay is structural rather than reluctance. Korea spent the year building the institutions and codifying the laws with the sole mission of implementing the MOU. Harder to build. Harder to undo.

Also in this issue: alliance management amid renewed U.S.-North Korea dialogue, the stalled North Korean Human Rights Act, and why Cuba should take interest in the South Korean development model.

https://koreaeconomicinstitute.substack.com/p/kei-weekly-south-korea-chooses-institutions?r=6g78le&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

08/30/2026

Could US alliance dynamics be shifting? Some allies might perceive the relationship as challenging, seeking ways to mitigate impacts while acknowledging the alliance's significance.
See the full video livestream on KEI's YouTube channel.

08/28/2026

🌎 South Korea Should Be an Economic Model for Besieged Cuba

Can South Korea's development experience offer lessons for Cuba?

Benjamin R. Young explores why Havana is looking to Korea as a model for state-led economic development and what that could mean for U.S. sanctions policy and allied engagement.

🔗 Read more:

Cuba’s recent outreach to South Korea suggests that the island country views Korea as a potential model for state planning and export-driven economics under autocratic conditions.

08/27/2026

🎥 In Case You Missed It: The Future of U.S.-South Korea-Japan Trilateralism

What has the Camp David framework institutionalized, where has cooperation stalled, and what comes next for U.S.-South Korea-Japan trilateral relations?

Watch KEI's discussion featuring Eun A Jo, Ayumi Teraoka, and Bruce Klingner, moderated by Arius Derr.

📺 Watch the full event: https://keia.org/event/evaluating-the-future-of-u-s-south-korea-japan-trilateralism/

08/27/2026

📝 Continued Anticipation for Strategic Projects Under the U.S.-South Korea Investment MOU

Almost one year after the U.S.-South Korea investment MOU, no projects have been announced—but Korea has built new institutions and funding mechanisms to support long-term implementation.

Nils Wollesen Osterberg examines what the delay may signal for the future of strategic investment.

🔗 Read more:

Korea has set up a more robust framework by establishing supporting institutions and appropriate funding, which helps explain the longer timeline.

08/26/2026

📝 Congress Supports Action for Human Rights in North Korea But Still Does Not Act

Despite decades of bipartisan support, Congress is unlikely to reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act before the midterm elections, leaving the special envoy position vacant.

Robert King examines what congressional inaction means for U.S. policy on North Korean human rights.

🔗 Read more:

There is little chance that Congress will reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act, which expired in September 2022, before the midterm elections, leaving the position of special envoy for North Korean human rights empty.

08/25/2026

📝 Washington's Cold Peace Is Seoul's Hot Risk

🤝 How can the U.S. and South Korea ensure diplomacy with North Korea strengthens—not weakens—the alliance?

Shin-wha Lee argues that any future agreement must reduce risk for both allies, rather than shifting greater responsibility and danger from Washington to Seoul.

🔗 Read more: https://keia.org/analysis/washingtons-cold-peace-is-seouls-hot-risk/

08/25/2026

🔴 We're live!

Join our discussion on the future of U.S.-South Korea-Japan trilateral cooperation featuring Eun A Jo, Ayumi Teraoka, and Bruce Klingner, moderated by Arius Derr.

📺 Watch now:

The August 2023 Camp David summit produced the first standalone tri...