Bill Gates Plans to Visit South Korea as Early as Next Month to Discuss AI Cooperation

According to Yonhap News, Microsoft co-founder and Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates is advancing plans to visit South Korea as early as next month and is coordinating schedules for a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duk-soo, with specific visit dates and discussion content yet to be determined. Last August, Gates visited South Korea and met successively with major corporate leaders including Chey Tae-won (SK Group), Jung Ki-sun (HD Hyundai), and Lee Jae-yong (Samsung Electronics) to discuss cooperation in AI, biotechnology, and next-generation nuclear power. If this visit to South Korea proceeds, the above topics are expected to continue as core agenda items. Gates also serves as the founder and chairman of the board of next-generation nuclear power enterprise TerraPower. The company is developing a "sodium" reactor small modular reactor (SMR) based on a molten salt energy storage system, which has received widespread industry attention for its adjustable power output and high safety.