South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is heading to the United States to advocate for South Korea’s bid to host a UN hub and engage with top US officials, potentially including Vice President JD Vance. This trip, lasting a week and also covering Geneva, Switzerland, aligns with the country’s efforts to host the “UN AI hub,” fostering AI solutions for global challenges. Kim is scheduled to meet Vance in Washington to discuss various matters, such as tariffs and a bill supporting South Korea’s substantial investment commitment to the US, set for approval by the National Assembly.
Kim’s itinerary extends to New York, where he plans to visit key UN entities like UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme to confer with organization leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on the AI hub proposal. In Geneva, he intends to engage with organizations like the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization to further these discussions. Kim was recently appointed as the head of the UN AI hub bid committee, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
During his visit, Prime Minister Kim will also brief Vice President Vance on the ‘Special Act on Strategic Investment Management between South Korea and the United States,’ a bill expected to pass the National Assembly. This legislation, a product of bipartisan consensus, is likely to be a focal point of their talks. Subsequently, Kim will hold talks in New York with the United Nations, UNICEF, and UNDP regarding the ‘AI Hub,’ a novel initiative by the South Korean government aimed at fostering collaboration among UN specialized agencies and departments on AI-related functions.
