Signal Korea expands state foresight functions, from a long-term strategy committee to a new planning and budget ministry

Summary

Demand for strategic foresight is also rising in Korea, where statutory master plans and R&D planning keep generating requests for future outlooks. The Ministry of Economy and Finance has run a mid- to long-term strategy committee since 2012 to discuss national development and identify future issues. The presidential office recently created a senior secretary post for AI and future planning to strengthen its response to future issues. The Ministry of Planning and Budget, scheduled to launch in January 2026, will handle not only fiscal policy but also long-term national development strategy for social change, bringing budgets and long-range strategy under one ministry. The essay reads these moves as a sign that strategic foresight can contribute more to government policymaking.