President Lee Says More GPUs Needed, Hints at Possible Supplementary Budget; Blue House Says Nothing Decided

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung said on the 26th that more Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are needed for the artificial intelligence industry, raising the possibility of a supplementary budget. The Blue House, however, drew a line under the remarks, saying, "Nothing has been decided regarding a supplementary budget."
At the "Future Security Innovation Company Development Strategy Meeting" held at the Blue House, Lee asked about the current status of domestic GPU procurement and said, "Won't we need them on a larger and larger scale?"
Lee also said, "I don't know whether we will end up doing a supplementary budget, but it seems additional funding will also be needed," adding, "I think we may need to make up for that." His remarks were interpreted as a call to strengthen funding for GPU purchases and other measures needed to boost the competitiveness of the AI industry.
He also voiced concern over the pace of GPU procurement. "Isn't the procurement speed too slow?" he said, adding, "I heard the Gwangju National Computing Center is not being fully utilized because of system problems."
As the possibility of excess tax revenue from the semiconductor boom has been raised, Lee's mention of a supplementary budget drew attention to the chance of a second supplementary budget. At a State Council of South Korea meeting on the 23rd, he had also said that if excess tax revenue is expected in the semiconductor sector, the government could consider additional spending measures such as fuel tax cuts or income support for low-income households.
The Blue House said in a media notice that day, "Nothing has been decided regarding a supplementary budget." It added, "The remarks were a general statement about the need to expand investment, including GPU purchases, to raise growth potential."
The meeting was held to discuss ways to foster innovative companies in future security fields. Companies and experts in Defense AI, drones, autonomous robots, AI semiconductors, aerospace and cybersecurity attended the meeting and discussed ways to strengthen industrial competitiveness in the era of technological security.
west@fnnews.com Sung Seok-woo Reporter