K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2026: Rethinking Korea’s Next Strategic Direction in an Age of Uncertainty
- Physical AI - Opening a New Window of Opportunity

The world of 2026 is taking shape under a new order, fundamentally different from the past. Global politics and economics no longer follow predictable trajectories, and technological innovation is accelerating change rather than reinforcing stability. Since the inauguration of the second Trump administration, intensifying protectionist policies, strained alliances, and the restructuring of global supply chains have compelled nations and corporations to question the validity of their existing strategies. Uncertainty is no longer a temporary crisis. It has become a structural constant.

At the heart of this transformation, technology has emerged as the most decisive variable. Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to the digital realm; it is expanding into the physical world, fundamentally altering how industries and societies’ function. The advent of Physical AI - which perceives, reasons, and acts in real-world environments - is reshaping the structure of all industries, from manufacturing and logistics to energy and healthcare. At the same time, the global contest for AI dominance has evolved from a race for technological superiority into an all-out strategic competition among nations, encompassing industrial ecosystems, supply chains, standards, and regulatory frameworks.

The biotech industry also stands at a major inflection point. AI-enabled drug discovery has become a reality, revolutionizing the pace and methodology of R&D, while geopolitical tensions are realigning global biotech supply chains. The technological rivalry between the United States and China is creating both new vacuums and opportunities, and countries around the world are accelerating their search for reliable manufacturing and research partners. Coupled with the structural shift of global population aging, biotechnology has emerged as a cornerstone of future national competitiveness.

This global transition is both a crisis and an opportunity. Built upon robust industrial foundations, manufacturing capabilities, and technological infrastructure accumulated over decades, Korea is well equipped to play a meaningful role in this new phase. The critical question is not whether we possess technology, but which domains we will lead and what position we will secure within the global value chain. The moment calls for deliberate prioritization, strategic focus, and sound judgment more than ever before.

K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2026 begins with these very questions. It will offer a holistic overview of the rapidly evolving international order and the ongoing technological paradigm shift, while exploring Korea’s strategic direction and future positioning, with a particular focus on Physical AI. In an era where uncertainty has become the new normal, K.E.Y. PLATFORM will serve as a forum for proposing new frameworks of thinking and actionable solutions that can transform crises into opportunities.