[Op-Ed] For the ‘San Francisco AI Declaration’ to Become Reality [Hankook Ilbo]

On July 24, President Lee Jae-myung announced the 'San Francisco AI Declaration' at the AI Summit in San Francisco, emphasizing Korea's commitment to becoming a pivotal node in the global AI supply chain.

In a recent op-ed for Hankook Ilbo, Yvonne Park, Founder and CEO of y's partners, shares her strategic insights on turning this vision into tangible reality. Read the full article to explore how proactive leadership and sober risk management can guide us through this monumental AI transition.

Source: https://www.hankookilbo.com/news/article/A2026072709150002447?did=NA

[Op-Ed] For the ‘San Francisco AI Declaration’ to Become Reality [Hankook Ilbo]

President Lee Jae-myung announced the 'San Francisco AI Declaration' at the San Francisco AI Summit on July 24, and sat down with top global venture capitalists at a Silicon Valley VC meetup the following day. Seeing the President of the Republic of Korea stand shoulder-to-shoulder with global innovation leaders amidst the AI Transformation—declaring Korea's leap toward becoming an "irreplaceable core node in the global AI supply chain"—instills a profound sense of pride as a business professional living in this era.

The large-scale partnerships sequentially announced by global big tech firms and leading domestic ICT companies have proven the potential of Korea’s technology ecosystem. Behind these cheers, however, lies a cold, palpable wariness from the global market. The concentration of stock market values in specific tech majors, sudden spikes in market volatility, and the cautious re-allocation of capital by global asset managers clearly highlight the structural vulnerabilities of our economy. Doubts surrounding mega AI projects represent another challenge that optimism alone cannot overcome.

At a moment where celebration and caution coexist, three essential conditions must be met for this declaration to take root from vision into reality.

First, the success of any policy is decided in the details. To prevent new policies and institutions from causing unintended side effects, rigorous ex-ante impact assessments and thorough stakeholder analyses are non-negotiable. The public expects both the National Assembly and the Cabinet to engage in expert, responsible discussions that minimize both errors of omission (failing to do what should be done) and errors of commission (doing what should not be done). Pushing policies through via power struggles despite predictable issues is a betrayal of the voters' trust, serving only to empower self-serving cartels capitalizing on the chaos.

Policies rushed without weighing side effects are difficult to rectify later, eroding national credibility in the process and deepening the "Korea Discount." Today, as the fluctuations of just two semiconductor stocks can rattle both the stock and treasury markets, calm risk management and delicate regulatory design are needed just as much as optimistic declarations.

Second, the government must act as a competent referee and infrastructure architect, not a direct player on the field. Korea's AI competitiveness hinges on how rapidly we can construct industry-specific Agentic AI platforms and ecosystems atop our world-class manufacturing, logistics, medical, defense, and public infrastructure. For global collaboration to effectively connect industrial ecosystems, both government and industry must cultivate strategic, sophisticated capabilities in stakeholder communication and conflict resolution.

Over-intervention or direct government leadership escalates governance risks, potentially leading to legal and international disputes. While the National Pension Service’s expanding investment in global VCs is a welcome development, it must strictly be contingent upon independent decision-making and transparent risk management. Silicon Valley created a virtuous ecosystem where capital, talent, academia-industry synergy, professional services, regulatory innovation, and a risk-taking culture seamlessly mesh. Singapore and Ireland continue to attract wealth and talent through predictable tax rates and regulatory clarity. Conversely, foreign capital and overseas Korean innovators still hesitate due to the unpredictability of the Korean market. We must redesign our institutions and environment against global benchmarks to match the expectations of the talent and wealth we aim to attract.

Third, we need leadership grounded in true "agency" that transcends the fast follower mindset. Innovation sparked merely by the fear of missing out (FOMO) remains trapped in a follower mentality. True first-movers emerge from strong agency—a determination to define the meaning of new value and solve pressing societal challenges. In particular, we must cultivate organizational cultures and systems that empower the "AI Native" generation to exercise autonomy and agency. Only when leaders consistently support this will it translate into tangible performance and entrench itself as a competitive corporate culture. When intangible values like respect for humanity and collaboration are practiced daily over superficial metrics like speed and numbers, companies can leap to become global leaders, and Korea will truly become an irreplaceable nation.

Professor Rebecca Henderson of Harvard Business School once noted, "Even massive avalanches begin with the rolling of a single pebble." The AI Transformation likewise begins with the decision of individuals to become that single pebble in their respective places. Being that pebble is not a role reserved solely for ordinary individuals. As Rutger Bregman emphasized in Moral Ambition, when highly skilled professionals and leaders channel their talents toward urgent societal issues rather than settling for prestigious titles and secure careers, that momentum finally gains the power to change the world.

This resonates deeply with the conclusion y's partners reached with over 200 experts at our anniversary event last April: A nation built on Foresight into the future, preserving authentic Korean identity (Authenticity), creating value through Innovation, offering meaningful Contribution to society, and connecting with the world through global Collaboration.

President Lee's declaration has set a great direction. What remains now is the precision of execution and the refinement of policy details. Riding this wave of massive transformation, I hope we do not settle for applause, but instead realize the 'San Francisco AI Declaration' into reality through sober risk management and proactive leadership.

Yvonne Park Founder & CEO, y's partners