Kim Sang-boo, Vice President of Digital Transformation at the World Bank (WB), said, "Many Korean corporations find success domestically, only to stop there. It is a regrettable situation."
On April 24th (local time), during a meeting with the G20 press corps held in the meeting room of the WB in Washington, D.C., Kim noted, "When it comes to overseas expansion, who goes first is key. From the perspective of startups, it is important to start with a global mind rather than competing with existing large corporations."
Kim is the first Korean Vice President of the WB. The position of Vice President for Digital Transformation was established last year with the aim of promoting the development of developing countries through digital means. He took office on September 3rd of last year, and his term will last until the end of 2028.
Kim, a graduate of the 40th class of the administrative exam, began his public service career at the Ministry of Science and ICT (formerly the Ministry of Information and Communication). After serving as an administrative officer at the presidential office, he worked at domestic and international digital corporations such as LG Uplus and Google, before being appointed as Vice President of the WB. He has a diverse background working in public, private, and international organizations.
During the meeting, he emphasized Korea's role in securing artificial intelligence (AI) technology in developing countries. Kim said, "Korea is playing an increasingly important role in development assistance. Many countries want to learn from Korea's experience," adding, "Countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia are collaborating with Korea in the area of e-government projects."
He continued, "There is growing interest in disseminating Korea's best practices around the world, and some of these projects are being carried out in collaboration with the World Bank," noting that "many Korean technology corporations are supporting international projects or exploring overseas markets."
Regarding the competitive landscape of AI technology, Kim said, "AI is not a zero-sum game. Just because one person uses it doesn't mean another cannot," adding, "There is a broad consensus that AI should be open and accessible."
He went on to say, "Developing countries are focusing on effectively and independently using AI without overly relying on a few corporations or countries," emphasizing the need to "secure local computing power, nurture talent, and produce local content."
In response to a question about whether it is possible to utilize data centers from other countries, such as the United States, in the AI development process of developing countries, he said, "It is technically possible, but there are limitations," explaining that there are issues related to policy, data privacy, and sovereignty. He also added, "Many governments prefer to manage sensitive data locally."
Kim highlighted that "currently, 75% of the world's data centers are located in developed countries, about 24% in middle-income countries, and less than 1% in low-income countries," stating, "Considering not just the number of centers but also computing power, this gap becomes even wider. It is crucial to diversify the global distribution of data resources."
When asked about the World Bank's stance on AI regulation, he replied, "We emphasize establishing responsible AI principles rather than strict regulations," adding, "Some regulations are necessary for safety and industrial growth, like traffic laws for cars," but noted that "it is difficult to predict the future of AI. We are taking a flexible approach that evolves with technology."
In response to a question about what efforts the WB is making to support AI development in developing countries, he said, "The World Bank Group has a private investment arm called the International Finance Corporation (IFC). We collaborate with the IFC when necessary," discussing that they are in talks with private corporations to identify what is needed for AI investments in African countries. He added, "For instance, we are discussing building local clusters to enhance the efficiency of data center construction through inter-country cooperation."
Regarding nurturing AI talent in developing countries, he explained, "Local engineers need to have the capability to interpret and apply AI to their communities," stating that they are focusing on "AI education, improving digital infrastructure, and introducing cloud computing resources in Africa, Latin America, and other low-income regions."