President Lee Jae Myung attended the San Francisco AI Summit on July 24, 2026, and announced the San Francisco AI Declaration. In the declaration, President Lee stated that South Korea will: a) emerge as an irreplaceable key node in the global AI supply chain; b) become a country that leverages AI most rapidly and effectively, creating new markets for shared global growth; c) become a global hub that expands the world's AI market; and d) usher in an era of accountable and human-centered AI that creates new opportunities for all. 

The San Francisco AI Declaration is significant in that it articulates the strategic foundations of South Korea's AI policy aimed at maximizing the country's interests amid intense US-China competition for dominance over the global AI ecosystem. An even greater significance can be found in the fact that South Korea has generated real competitive strength by integrating into its AI strategy its manufacturing prowess, an asset that neither the US nor China possesses. Also noteworthy is its emphasis on "AI Basic Society." AI can become a present-day vehicle for carrying past discrimination into the future. AI Basic Society must function as a universal mechanism for all of humanity, ensuring that disparities in AI utilization, or even access to AI itself, do not translate into discrimination or social inequality. Through AI Basic Society, all citizens will be better guaranteed fundamental rights in education and healthcare, and no one will be left behind, including SMEs, small business owners, or vulnerable groups. This could counter monopolization, guarantee political diversity, and lay the groundwork for lasting democratic resilience. The declaration's call for "accountable and human-centered AI" also warrants attention.