Fifth Industrial Revolution Sparks Fierce Division
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Following Jack Goodwin’s landslide victory in the United States, the nation quickly stabilized after years of turmoil. His administration launched the ambitious “Sweet Shift” policy, positioning corn at the forefront of a new materials revolution, with polylactic acid (PLA) emerging as a high-value-added industry promising both economic growth and a path to carbon neutrality.
Across the globe, Europe, Japan, and South Korea watched closely. In Korea, the election of President Lee Gi-Beom reignited strategic ties with the United States and set the stage for active participation in the fifth industrial revolution. PLA was presented as a new growth engine for manufacturers, a source of high added value, and a key to sustainable development.
President Lee outlined a sweeping plan: mobilizing conglomerates and SMEs alike, building PLA research complexes in Seoul and regional cities, innovating infrastructure, and pursuing technological cooperation with global powers. While the nation lacks America’s surplus corn, Korea plans to import resources and develop domestic alternatives from rice, barley, corn by-products, and seaweed, aiming for a sustainable industrial future.
Jeong Min-Seon, a member of the opposition party
The ruling party lawmaker Choi Jin-Seong
Yet political debate rages. Opposition lawmakers question PLA’s practicality and the potential impact on food prices, while ruling party members warn that hesitation risks falling behind international competitors. Amid this tension, Korea’s industrial landscape is poised for dramatic transformation, placing both the nation and business leaders at the center of a high-stakes race in the emerging global PLA economy.