"살 날 얼마 안 남아 다행이다" 퇴임 앞둔 한국은행 이창용 총재의 충격 발언. IMF 이상의 글로벌 위기 신호 떴다 | 김규동 이사 #원픽리포트

In February 2026, a report titled "Great Depression in 2028" was released on Wall Street.

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong stated in a press conference, "I'm glad I don't have much longer to live," expressing concern about AI-driven polarization.

The Citrini Research report is explicitly a scenario analysis, not a prediction.

Citrini Research's first stage of economic collapse is an "infinite layoff loop," which they termed the "white-collar Great Depression."

The "infinite layoff loop" describes a cycle where laid-off middle-class workers reduce consumption, leading to decreased corporate revenue, which in turn causes companies to lay off more people and invest further in AI.

Citrini Research's second stage of economic collapse is the "neutralization of intermediary platforms."

The US prime mortgage market is approximately $13 trillion in size.

The collapse of revenue for SaaS companies could lead to defaults in the direct lending market, which uses Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) as collateral.

Citadel Securities argues that technology adoption follows an S-curve, meaning initial slow adoption, then rapid growth, and finally a slowdown as saturation is reached.

Citadel Securities views AI as a positive supply shock, which means it lowers production costs, reduces product prices, increases consumer spending power, and boosts long-term economic potential.

The "Engels' Pause" refers to a historical period in Britain (approximately 1790-1840) during the Industrial Revolution where GDP grew explosively, but real wages for workers stagnated for about 50 years.

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong noted that growth in non-IT sectors is below potential growth rates.

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong stated that the benefits of stock market gains are concentrated among high-income individuals and institutions.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported in April 2025 that global data center electricity consumption is projected to double by 2030, growing at an average of 15% annually.