The Republic of Korea has continued to integrate block chains and digital assets into the economic growth arrangements for the second half of 2026, focusing on the development of a system for the stabilization of currency, the monetization of national debt and the encryption of cash ETF. However, in terms of overall policy sequencing, AI and semiconductor remain a higher priority for investment direction.
The Digital Assets Basic Law was incorporated into the plan
The Korean Ministry of Business Planning and Finance, following the Zhou National Conference, stated that the Government would continue to support large-scale block-chain pilot projects and promote new technologies to improve the ecology of its digital assets.
At the same time, it was mentioned that legislation on the Basic Law on Digital Assets would be advanced. The bill foresees the establishment of a basic legal framework for digital assets, including a code of business conduct and criteria for a Korean Won-linked stable currency.
In addition to domestic rules, the Republic of Korea plans to establish a legal basis for the cross-border stabilization of currency transactions and supports the revision of the Capital Market Act to pave the way for the introduction of the first spot-encrypted currency ETF.
The pilot of monetized national debt is scheduled for 2027
In the area of financial infrastructure, the Korean Government stated that the pilot of monetized national debt associated with the Digital Currency Project of the Institutional Central Bank would be launched in 2027. The Central Bank of Korea will also study how the CBDC can interact with other block chain networks.
According to NexBlock, the pilot was led by ZKrypto, a block-chain security company, and is expected to last until February 2027. The first phase of the project will test the issuance, circulation and settlement of stable currency and will be followed by a re-evaluation of the anti-fraud, privacy protection and public benefit payments functions.
ZKrypto states that the system will use zero knowledge to prove the prevention of double-flowering and to validate the reserve assets during the pilot period through a reserve certificate technology.
AI and semiconductor get more input
The Government of the Republic of Korea also indicated that a study would be undertaken, in cooperation with international organizations, to manage and trade global voluntary carbon market credits on block chain platforms.
But this second half of the road map has more ink on AI. Korea has classified its own AI, AI data centres and semiconductors as “Mega Projects” at three major national levels, and plans to invest 800 trillion won to build a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the south-west, forming a second manufacturing base outside the capital.
Officials also stated that South Korea ' s storage chip capacity was expected to double in five years, while a global AI hub would be built, attracting international organizations and multilateral development agencies and continuing to expand the large AI data centre infrastructure.