Sejin Kim
Sejin Kim is a tech policy analyst specializing in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and semiconductors for ITIF's Center for Korean Innovation and Competitiveness. Drawing on technology journalism experience bridging South Korean and U.S. tech ecosystems, she brings cross-cultural insights into national competitiveness and policy dynamics.
As a New York-based correspondent for The Miilk, a cross-border tech outlet headquartered in Silicon Valley, Kim has established herself as a trusted voice in technology journalism. She has led coverage of crucial technological agendas including autonomous economics, robotics, GLP-1, space tech, data centers, and the evolution of AI content creation technology moving toward "zero marginal cost." Her work includes notable interviews with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, Space Capital Managing Partner Chad Anderson, Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy, and "Chip War" author Chris Miller.
Previously, Kim served as a journalist for CoinDesk Korea and D.STREET, a blockchain-focused publication of the Mae-Kyung Media Group, where she developed deep expertise in cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Notable publications include 'On the Recent Development of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC): Some Thoughts and Analysis' (December 2020, listed in Reuters Refinitiv), 'WeMix, Web3 Gaming and Ethics' (January 2023), 'Web3 Wave' (September 2022), and '2025 Global Tech Trends: 17 of The Trend Revolution is Coming' (November 2024).
Recent Publications
Korea's Basic AI Act Risks Stalling the Engine It Seeks to Build
Korea has a choice. It can show the world how to integrate strategy, promotion, and regulation in a way that builds both trust and competitiveness. Or it can serve as a cautionary tale of how regulatory overreach strangles innovation.
One Law Sets South Korea’s AI Policy—and One Weak Link Could Break It
By uniting strategy, promotion, and regulation in a single law, South Korea has given itself a powerful instrument to shape AI—but its blunt regulatory mandates threaten to drag down the very strengths that make the act ambitious.
Korea’s Won Stablecoin Debate Is Missing the Point: It’s Not Who. It’s How.
If Korea wants a won stablecoin that matters, give it work on day one: Settle spot ETF trades; connect to tokenized securities (STO); cut remittance costs; and settle cross-border B2B invoices in KRW with fewer hops. Without real uses, the token drifts into speculation.
Korea’s Labor Market Too Small for Its Talent
Korea’s highly educated workforce is increasingly stuck in low-quality jobs. This is not due to a lack of skill, but rather to government policies that penalize growth and fragment markets. Korea must embrace size neutrality, reforming regulations and incentives to support firms that innovate, scale, and compete globally.
South Korean Policy in the Trump and China Era: Broad-Based Technological Innovation, Not Just Export-Led Growth
In the Trump and China era, South Korea must move beyond export-led growth. Scaling up small firms and boosting productivity in services must be national imperatives.
From Fast Follower to Innovation Leader: Restructuring South Korea’s Technology Regulation
South Korea stands at a crossroads as its restrictive “positive regulation” and “shadow regulations” stifle innovation in AI, crypto, and mobility tech, allowing China to race ahead. Korea must modernize this framework or risk losing its position as a global innovation leader.
Recent Events and Presentations
Fair Trade Commission Policy Direction Discussion: Seeking a Balance Between Regulation, Innovation, and Competitiveness
Please join us for this timely discussion on the future of Korea’s competition policy and digital economy.
US-Korea Trade at a Crossroads: How Should Korea Respond to Trump-Era Tariff Negotiations?
Watch the high-level discussion presented by ITIF’s Center for Korean Innovation and Competitiveness featuring trade experts, regulatory analysts, and U.S.–Korea watchers from both sides of the Pacific.
ITIF-KAIST Forum on Korean Strategic Technology and Innovation
At the ITIF-KAIST Joint Forum, a distinguished group of experts confronted the turbulence stemming from the Trump administration’s strategic direction and explore critical questions surrounding technology sovereignty. The discussions also focused on practical pathways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the US and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
AI × Business: How Generative AI Is Reshaping Industries
Sejin Kim speaks on how generative AI is unlocking new business models, why the U.S. ecosystem moves so quickly, and how Korea can position itself as a world-class builder of AI-native applications.