South Korea Cuts Deficit for AI: Record Rp9,000 Trillion Budget, 4.7 Trillion Won for Sovereign Model
Baca dalam 60 detik
- Pemerintah Korea Selatan mengajukan belanja negara 2027 sebesar 820,9 triliun won, naik 12,8% dari tahun sebelumnya, dengan alokasi hampir dua kali lipat untuk semikonduktor dan AI.
- Presiden Lee Jae Myung menargetkan model AI kedaulatan berperforma tertinggi dunia lewat suntikan 4,7 triliun won, sekaligus melatih 2.000 spesialis desain chip.
- Surplus dagang Oktober yang melonjak dan ekspor chip yang tembus rekor menjadi bantalan fiskal, tetapi ketergantungan pada satu sektor tetap menjadi risiko jangka panjang.
The South Korean government has officially submitted a 2027 budget draft worth 820.9 trillion won (around Rp9,000 trillion), a 12.8% jump from the previous year, with heavy emphasis on semiconductors, physical artificial intelligence, and AI data centers. President Lee Jae Myung presented the proposal directly before the National Assembly, marking the largest state spending in South Korea's history.
Of the total, 21.3 trillion won is allocated to three key technology sectors, nearly double the 2026 ceiling. That figure does not include a separate 4.7 trillion won line to develop a sovereign AI model that Lee said would have "the highest performance in the world." The government also plans to produce 2,000 experts in semiconductor design and the regional chip industry, and to expand AI education for students, job seekers, and active workers.
The move comes as South Korea's economy is on a fast expansion path. The International Monetary Fund projects 3.3% growth in 2026, the fastest since the 2021 post-pandemic recovery. The main engine is semiconductor exports, which have soared along with rising global demand for computing power for AI. Korea Customs data show October exports reached a record US$115.3 billion, while total shipments from January to October 2026 topped US$930 billion for the first time. The monthly trade surplus was recorded at US$42.5 billion.
Despite the swelling spending, Lee stressed there would be no net increase in government debt because new bonds are used to pay off old debt. He also raised the defense budget by 8.2% to 73.3 trillion won, focusing on hybrid combat systems that combine humans, robots, and AI-based drones. "We will rapidly transform into a smart, elite, and strong military," he said.
In the education sector, the government is expanding the "contract department" scheme at universities. Students can earn degrees designed together with companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, with a path to employment before graduation. Companies help draft the curriculum, provide financial support, and recruit graduates who meet the qualifications. The model is seen as an effort to bridge the skills gap in an increasingly competitive chip industry.
For Indonesia, South Korea's fiscal push is both a mirror and a warning. Korea proves that a technology leap is not enough with incentives alone, but demands targeted and measurable state spending. Indonesia has similar ambitions through developing a semiconductor and AI ecosystem, but its research budget share remains far below 1% of GDP. Korea's dependence on chip exports also implies risk: if the global demand cycle weakens, state revenue could erode. Economic diversification remains unfinished homework.
The market will watch whether this draft passes parliament without significant cuts. If approved, South Korea could become Asia's first sovereign AI policy laboratory to prove that big spending does not always mean a widening deficit. The question is whether other countries can replicate it without having a chip industry base as strong as Korea's.
