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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during an outreach session at the G7 Summit held in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16 (local time). / Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

President Lee Jae-myung, attending the G7 Summit, emphasized on June 16 (local time) that "it is vital to share the fruits of artificial intelligence (AI) technological advancements with all nations across the globe to foster collective growth."

During his remarks, President Lee introduced the Lee administration's vision for a "Global AI Basic Society," a conceptual framework asserting that the dividends of AI should be enjoyed universally by all.

Speaking at the first outreach session of the G7 Summit held in Evian, France, President Lee stated, "While the AI revolution represents a new frontier of challenges and growth opportunities for humanity, many developing nations lack adequate access to this breakthrough. We must ensure that disparities in technology do not translate into widening economic gaps between countries."

The establishment of an "AI Basic Society" has been a signature policy initiative championed by President Lee since his presidential campaign. He has consistently seized opportunities at various multilateral forums to introduce his administration's vision, and at this year's G7 Summit, he once again underscored the concept to the international community, advocating for equitable rights to AI access.

President Lee also noted at the forum that "while the demand for development resources is surging, public financing remains limited. This necessitates a robust partnership where foreign aid, private investment, technology, and regulatory frameworks operate in tandem."

In particular, President Lee highlighted a project by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Indonesia, where the agency supported local startups and leveraged 1 million dollars in grant aid to mobilize 50 million dollars in private capital. He presented this co-investment model as a strategic blueprint to counteract shrinking official development assistance (ODA) budgets.

Furthermore, he cited the "LG Technical Vocational College" in Ethiopia—established jointly by KOICA and South Korean enterprises—as a prime example of how development cooperation can tangibly transform the lives of citizens in partner countries.

"Through this type of technology transfer, we can strengthen the capacities of recipient nations and drive their technological and industrial development," President Lee said. "Drawing on our unique trajectory as a nation that transitioned from an aid recipient to a major donor, the South Korean government will fully honor its responsibilities and play a leading role in forging global partnerships."

                                                                                                            Hong Sun-mi