[BREAKING] President highlights growth fund as he seeks parliamentary backing for record budget

President Lee Jae Myung urged the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday to approve next year’s record 820.9 trillion won budget by Dec. 2. He highlighted a proposed 162 trillion won growth fund backed by additional tax revenue from the semiconductor boom. The proposal includes 21.3 trillion won for AI and three megaprojects, and 13.8 trillion won for 10 strategic technology fields. Lee also pledged expanded welfare support, including automatic access to major benefits for eligible recipients and higher livelihood payments.

Lee described the fund as a strategic investment platform to support a recovery in potential growth and help manage volatile tax revenues.

The 21.3 trillion won allocation for AI and the three megaprojects is nearly twice this year’s amount.

The three megaprojects are semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers.

Lee said the 13.8 trillion won investment would cover 10 next-generation strategic technology fields.

This was Lee’s fourth budget address since taking office, following supplementary-budget speeches in June 2025 and April this year, and an address on the 2026 budget in November last year.

Published Nov 2, 2026 10:32 am KST

Updated Nov 2, 2026 10:33 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung delivers an address on the 2027 budget at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday highlighted a proposed 162 trillion won ($120.83 billion) growth fund backed by additional tax revenue from the semiconductor boom, as he sought parliamentary approval for next year’s record 820.9 trillion won budget.

Speaking at the National Assembly, Lee also outlined 21.3 trillion won for artificial intelligence (AI) and three megaprojects, along with 13.8 trillion won for 10 next-generation strategic technology fields.

He pledged expanded welfare support, including automatic access to major benefits for eligible recipients and higher livelihood payments.

Lawmakers listen to President Lee Jae Myung’s speech on the 2027 budget at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

“The new fund will serve as a strategic investment platform supporting a recovery in potential growth, as well as an innovative fiscal stabilization mechanism to manage increasingly volatile tax revenues,” he said in his speech before the lawmakers.

On technology investment, he said, “We will invest 21.3 trillion won, nearly twice this year’s amount, in AI and the three megaprojects — semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers.”

“We will invest 13.8 trillion won in the next 10 strategic technology fields that will drive future growth, securing an overwhelming competitive lead,” he added.

The president asked lawmakers to approve next year’s budget proposal and accompanying legislation by Dec. 2, the deadline set by law.

It was Lee’s fourth budget address since taking office, following speeches on supplementary budgets in June 2025 and April this year, and the 2026 budget in November last year.

韩国总统李在明周一在首尔敦促国会在12月2日前批准明年创纪录的820.9万亿韩元预算。他重点介绍了拟议的162万亿韩元增长基金，该基金将利用半导体繁荣带来的额外税收收入作为资金来源。该提案包括21.3万亿韩元用于人工智能和三个大型项目，以及13.8万亿韩元用于10个战略技术领域。李在明还承诺扩大福利保障，包括为符合条件的受益人提供主要福利的自动领取途径，并提高生活补助金。

李将该基金描述为一个战略投资平台，旨在支持潜在增长的复苏并帮助管理波动的税收收入。

为人工智能和三大项目拨款 21.3 万亿韩元，几乎是今年拨款额的两倍。

这三大巨型项目分别是半导体、物理人工智能和人工智能数据中心。

李表示，这笔13.8万亿韩元的投资将涵盖10个下一代战略技术领域。

这是李光耀就任以来的第四次预算演讲，此前他分别于 2025 年 6 月和今年 4 月发表了补充预算演讲，并于去年 11 月发表了 2026 年预算演讲。

发布于2026年11月2日上午10:32（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年11月2日上午10:33（韩国标准时间）

周一，韩国总统李在明在首尔汝矣岛国会发表2027年预算案演说。（韩联社）

韩国总统李在明周一重点介绍了一项拟议的162万亿韩元（1208.3亿美元）增长基金，该基金由半导体繁荣带来的额外税收收入支持。他同时寻求国会批准明年创纪录的820.9万亿韩元预算。

李在国会发表讲话时还概述了为人工智能 (AI) 投入 21.3 万亿韩元的计划和三个大型项目，以及为 10 个下一代战略技术领域投入 13.8 万亿韩元。

他承诺扩大福利支持，包括让符合条件的受益人自动获得主要福利，并提高生活补助。

周一，在首尔汝矣岛的国会大厦，议员们聆听李在明总统关于2027年预算的讲话。（韩联社）

他在向立法者发表讲话时表示：“新基金将作为一个战略投资平台，支持潜在增长的复苏，同时也是一个创新的财政稳定机制，以管理日益波动的税收收入。”

关于技术投资，他表示：“我们将投资 21.3 万亿韩元，几乎是今年投资额的两倍，用于人工智能和三大超级项目——半导体、物理人工智能和人工智能数据中心。”

“我们将投资13.8万亿韩元用于推动未来增长的10个战略技术领域，从而确保压倒性的竞争优势，”他补充道。

总统要求立法者在12月2日之前批准明年的预算提案及相关立法，这是法律规定的最后期限。

这是李光耀就任总理以来的第四次预算演讲，此前他分别于 2025 年 6 月和今年 4 月发表了补充预算演讲，并于去年 11 月发表了 2026 年预算演讲。