Semiconductors are just the signal, they will cause chain growth | Koo Yun-cheol, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Special Interview

Summary

Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol discusses Korea's semiconductor-driven economic growth, projecting sales to triple and a virtuous cycle of reinvestment. He outlines government plans to develop next-generation technologies like sensor semiconductors, power semiconductors, SMR, and superconductors. The interview covers structural reforms, stock market performance, inflation management, real estate supply, and job creation through AI education and entrepreneurship. Koo emphasizes that Korea's strong fundamentals and innovation focus position it well for the AI era, attracting global investor interest.

• Semiconductor sales expected to grow 2.5-3x in 2025, driving broader economic expansion.
• Government identifies sensor and power semiconductors, SMR, superconductor, graphene as future growth items.
• Excess tax revenues to be reinvested in R&D, structural reforms, and a new sovereign wealth fund.
• Stock market at 8,000 points seen as reflecting strong economic fundamentals, not a bubble.
• Foreign selling attributed to portfolio rebalancing, not negative view of Korea.
• Inflation managed through price caps, tax cuts, and subsidies, aiming to keep it below 2.6%.
• Real estate policies focus on boosting supply in the capital area and curbing speculative demand.
• Youth and small business support includes AI training, startup ecosystem, and resilience programs.