IFS Insight

The article frames AI as the latest stage in humanity’s intellectual evolution, following language, writing, and books. Hangul is highlighted as a unique civilizational achievement that enabled mass literacy and today’s K-culture, while the decline of Hanja literacy is seen as a loss of embedded wisdom and meaning. As AI moves from a tool to a knowledge-producing companion, it forces a reconsideration of what it means to be human and how knowledge should be learned and shared. In this context, Korea’s education system is criticized as outdated and overly exam-driven. The CSAT’s multiple-choice structure stifles creativity, while heavy government control undermines university autonomy amid demographic decline. The author argues for long-term, non-political reform focused on creative assessment, critical thinking, and genuine university self-governance to prepare society for the AI era.

This article argues that in the AI era, national competitiveness and security depend fundamentally on the ability to secure and retain talent. Global demand for AI talent far exceeds supply, and compe

Liberal order is collapsing into power politics. Weaker U.S. leadership and China-Russia pressure mean Korea must bolster autonomy, alliances, unity.