South Korea’s government is facing growing pressure to ensure the wealth generated by artificial intelligence reaches ordinary citizens, as the country’s biggest technology companies enjoy a powerful market rally while labour tensions intensify at Samsung Electronics.
Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said the rapid rise of AI has created difficult questions for policymakers, particularly around inequality, job security, and whether the financial gains from new technology will be shared fairly. Speaking to CNBC’s Lisa Kim on Friday, he said the debate is no longer limited to innovation or competitiveness, but also concerns the wider social impact of AI.
“Recent labor-management conflicts can also be seen as part of this broader trend,” he added.
Bae was referring to Samsung Electronics, where unionised employees recently suspended a planned 18-day strike after government officials intervened to help prevent a walkout. Workers had been seeking stronger guarantees over bonuses, the removal of bonus caps, and a payout equivalent to 15% of Samsung’s operating profit.
A tentative agreement was reached on Wednesday, with union members voting on the proposal from Friday until 27 May. The dispute has drawn wider attention because Samsung has been one of the clearest corporate winners from the global AI boom, helped by demand for advanced chips used in data centres and AI systems.
“In the age of AI, more of these super-large companies will continue to emerge. In that process, labor-management conflicts may continue to arise, and when they do, it will be important to resolve them wisely through dialogue,” Bae said.
He also pointed to Hyundai’s adoption of Atlas robots from Boston Dynamics, saying there are “many concerns and worries” about how robotics could affect manufacturing jobs.
Bae, who also serves as science and technology minister, said South Korea must focus not only on creating “great wealth” through AI, but also on deciding how the technology should be used responsibly.
“The benefits of AI must also go to the public,” Bae added, saying Seoul wants to build an “AI-inclusive society—a society where no one is left behind in the AI era.”
His remarks come as Samsung and SK Hynix continue to drive South Korea’s stock market higher, raising questions over whether the country’s AI-led growth is becoming too dependent on a small group of dominant chipmakers.