Lim Jong-in
The author is an honorary professor at the Graduate School of Information Security at Korea University and a former special adviser to the president on cybersecurity.
 
 
China’s technological rise is advancing like a massive wave. Huawei’s research and development center on the outskirts of Shanghai, covering an area equivalent to 225 football pitches, and the emergence of DeepSeek — an artificial intelligence model rivaling GPT-4 — show that “Made in China 2025” is no longer just a blueprint. The rapid progress of Huawei’s Ascend AI chip series underscores how strategically China is pursuing technological self-reliance.
 
People visit the stand of Huawei during MWC at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Shanghai on June 18, 2025.[AFP/YONHAP]

People visit the stand of Huawei during MWC at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Shanghai on June 18, 2025.[AFP/YONHAP]

 
DeepSeek is not merely a private-sector innovation but has been effectively designated a “national strategic asset.” Its core developers are subject to strict controls, including restrictions on job changes and passport use. This reflects a national strategy to integrate AI into all sectors — from automobiles to telecommunications, finance and defense — to build an intelligent social system. China’s ambitions extend beyond Earth. The “Three-Body Computing Constellation” aims to deploy supercomputers in space, signaling not just a catch-up effort but a declaration of intent to create a “parallel universe” with its own rules.
 
The building housing the headquarters of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is seen in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on Jan. 28. Fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street following the emergence of a popular ChatGPT-like model from China, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying it was a ″wake-up call″ for Silicon Valley. [AFP/YONHAP]

The building housing the headquarters of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is seen in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on Jan. 28. Fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street following the emergence of a popular ChatGPT-like model from China, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying it was a ″wake-up call″ for Silicon Valley. [AFP/YONHAP]

 
In this shifting landscape, Korea is caught in the strategic pincers of the United States and China. On one side, China’s self-reliance push is eroding Korea’s foothold in semiconductors, batteries and smartphones. Huawei is creating a self-sufficient “Red Tech” ecosystem combining Ascend chips, its HarmonyOS operating system and cloud services, squeezing Korean firms out of the market. Samsung’s smartphone share in China has fallen below 1 percent — a sign of deeper change to come.
 
On the other side, the United States is pressing for decoupling from China through the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act and other measures. Korea’s heavy dependence on China for critical minerals such as rare earths and graphite makes it vulnerable. As the urea shortage crisis showed, China could weaponize supply chains, leaving Korea squeezed between U.S. pressure and Chinese leverage — with even strategic autonomy at stake. The time has come to shed the old cloak of “strategic ambiguity” and instead make Korea indispensable to both sides by securing technology sovereignty.
 
 
First, Korea must evolve its “super-gap” strategy into a strategic linchpin strategy. This means becoming the sole source of irreplaceable core technologies for both the United States and China. Rather than spreading resources thinly across 12 government-designated strategic technologies, Korea should focus on specific linchpin areas such as next-generation high bandwidth memory for AI chips, emissive displays and solid-state batteries. Only then can Korea be essential to both ecosystems.
 
Second, Korea must build system architecture and software ecosystems. Huawei’s Ascend achieved its strength not just from hardware performance but through cluster technology and software optimization. Survival cannot depend on superiority in a single component. Beyond memory chips, Korea must develop the systems, software and platforms that link them. Nvidia’s true power lies in its CUDA platform, and Huawei is building its CANN equivalent. Korean AI chips or next-generation communications technology will not succeed globally without an open yet robust software ecosystem.
 
Third, Korea should become a rule-setter in emerging technologies where global standards remain unsettled — such as sixth-generation communications, AI ethics and quantum cryptography. This push for technology sovereignty must rest on a sophisticated talent strategy. Programs like “K-Tech Pass” can attract overseas experts, but Korea must also send its own talent abroad, including to China, under an outbound strategy.
 
A visitor tries out Samsung Display’s OLEDoS product at the K-Display 2025 Korea Display Exhibition at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Aug. 7. [LEE GA-RAM]

A visitor tries out Samsung Display’s OLEDoS product at the K-Display 2025 Korea Display Exhibition at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Aug. 7. [LEE GA-RAM]

 
Such exchanges would allow Korean engineers to study at Tsinghua University, Peking University or work at Huawei, gaining firsthand knowledge of Chinese technology ecosystems. These professionals could later serve as “technology bridges” for future cooperation or conflict mitigation. Networks with deep familiarity with local language, culture and technology can be more powerful than formal diplomatic channels.
 
The next five years are Korea’s golden time. China is nearing completion of its technology ecosystem, while the United States is consolidating its technology bloc. Without decisive action now, Korea risks marginalization by both sides. A national consensus that transcends political divisions, coupled with bold execution, is essential to secure technology sovereignty.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.