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South Korean Companies Accelerate Investments in U.S. Amid AI Boom South Korean companies are reportedly accelerating investments and acquisitions in U.S. firms, fueled by a boom in artificial intelligence (AI).The Financial Times (FT) reported on July 24 that South Korean companies, bolstered by increased cash reserves from the AI surge, are actively pursuing investments and acquisitions in the U.S. to secure advanced technologies and avoid tariff burdens imposed by the Trump administration.According to data from South Koreas Ministry of Economy and Finance cited by FT, direct investment by South Korean companies in the U.S. reached $10.2 billion in the first quarter of this year, more than double the amount from the same period last year. This marks the largest investment in five years. Last years total direct investment in the U.S. also increased by about 15% to $25.7 billion.Sushil Bhatia, head of M&A for Goldman Sachs in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan), stated, AI is fundamentally changing the way M&A transactions are conducted globally. If the U.S. is the center of innovation, then South Korea is at the heart of that in Asia. He added, South Korea is well-positioned to invest in suitable companies across the supply chain, backed by abundant capital.This investment surge is led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are considered the biggest beneficiaries of AI infrastructure development. The stock prices of both companies have more than tripled over the past year, and their combined operating profit is expected to reach a record $400 billion this year.Last month, Samsung participated in a $100 million investment in AI data center cooling technology firm Jutacore. In the previous year, it also invested $750 million in AI semiconductor startup Groq.SK Hynix announced plans in January to invest $10 billion in U.S. innovative companies and collaborate with them. Last year, it participated in a $120 million investment in U.S. startup Abecena, which develops optical connection technology to enhance energy efficiency in AI systems.South Korean companies are also continuing to acquire U.S. tech firms. Samsung agreed to acquire the U.S. healthcare platform Xealth last year, while Doosan Robotics acquired an 89.6% stake in U.S. automation firm ONExia in Pennsylvania in 2025.Investment activities are not limited to semiconductors. Financial industry insiders report that South Korean companies in shipbuilding, robotics, biotech, and advanced manufacturing are also considering acquisitions of local firms to address geopolitical risks and enter the U.S. market.Jang Tae-won, co-head of North Asia M&A at JP Morgan, noted, Just a few years ago, cash-rich Chinese companies were aggressively acquiring Western assets at a premium. However, as U.S.-China relations have changed, Chinese firms are now effectively excluded from acquiring major U.S. assets.He added, Now is the golden era for South Korean companies in U.S. M&A, driven by strong cash flow, the need for supply chain reshoring, and demands for market access, prompting them to pursue larger and transformative deals.* This article has been translated by AI. July 26, 2026 16:28 -
Lee Jae-yong Meets Sam Altman to Strengthen AI Infrastructure Cooperation, Anticipates 'Ten Years Without a Downturn' for K-Semiconductors Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, met in the U.S. in a significant move symbolizing the restructuring of the global artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor supply chain. As U.S.-South Korea cooperation on next-generation AI infrastructure becomes more visible, concerns about a peak-out in the domestic semiconductor industry are expected to ease considerably.According to industry sources on July 26, the collaboration between Samsung Electronics and OpenAI is expanding beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DRAM supply to encompass the entire value chain, including advanced foundry processes. To operate OpenAIs next-generation super-large AI models, high-performance memory and customized semiconductor manufacturing capabilities are essential. Samsungs turnkey solutions, which provide everything from design to production and advanced packaging, are seen as a key focus of these discussions.The meeting between Lee and Altman is part of efforts to quickly eliminate uncertainties in semiconductor supply and secure stability. For OpenAI, which needs to continue enhancing its large language models (LLMs), securing a large volume of semiconductors is a top priority. This is why there are expectations that a long-term supply agreement (LTA) between OpenAI and Samsung Electronics is imminent amid a global memory supply shortage.If a major LTA is confirmed, Samsung will secure a long-term supply source for high-value HBM and lay the groundwork for expanding orders in the foundry and advanced packaging sectors. This could create synergies by increasing the operational rates of the 2nm advanced foundry line in Pyeongtaek and the advanced packaging (AVP) process in Cheonan.There is growing optimism about an unprecedented ten years without a downturn in the domestic semiconductor industry. Following the San Francisco AI Summit, Samsung entered into a five-year long-term supply agreement with Broadcom and is currently negotiating with several big tech companies for advanced memory supply agreements. While initial contract periods typically last around five years, considering new line expansions, process stabilization, and next-generation chip development cycles, the collaboration is expected to last over ten years.SK Hynix is in a similar situation. Companies like NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Google are offering substantial advance payments to secure HBM production lines and are requesting increased volumes. In its first-quarter earnings report, SK Hynix stated, Demand from customers for the next three years has already exceeded our production capacity (CAPA), noting a surge in requests for long-term supply agreements for both sixth-generation HBM (HBM4) and seventh-generation HBM (HBM4E).Experts predict that the expansion of big tech collaborations centered around LTAs led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will significantly alleviate the chronic volatility of the domestic semiconductor industry.Ahn Gi-hyun, executive director of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, stated, LTAs that involve large advance payments and volumes greatly enhance the profit predictability for domestic semiconductor companies, adding that this could be a decisive factor in breaking the cycle of chicken game that has led to massive losses during past downturns.* This article has been translated by AI. July 26, 2026 16:16
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Lee Jae-yong Meets OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at Company Headquarters Lee Jae-yong, the chairman of Samsung Electronics, met with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, at the companys headquarters in San Francisco, California. The two leaders are tightening their collaboration to build a next-generation AI semiconductor supply chain. According to industry sources on July 26, Lee visited OpenAIs headquarters on July 25 (local time) for a high-level meeting with Altman. This meeting followed the postponement of Altmans planned visit to South Korea in June, prompting Lee to travel to the U.S. for the discussion. The two sides reportedly focused on expanding the supply of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced DRAM, which are crucial for operating large-scale AI models. There was significant exchange of ideas regarding stable supply measures for semiconductors, including long-term supply agreements (LTA), which had been discussed since Altmans proposed visit to South Korea. They also explored collaboration on manufacturing next-generation AI chips using foundry processes. Samsung Electronics is currently implementing a full-scale introduction of ChatGPT and the AI coding tool Codex across all its employees. There are indications that potential collaboration with OpenAI was also considered during Samsungs AI transformation (AX) process. Since establishing a strategic partnership last October, Samsung Electronics and OpenAI have continued to collaborate on expanding advanced memory supply and building next-generation AI infrastructure. Industry experts anticipate that this meeting in the U.S. will further broaden the scope of technological and supply chain cooperation between the two companies.* This article has been translated by AI. July 26, 2026 16:08
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DeepSeek Halts Second Round of Funding Amid Controversial Comments Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek has reportedly paused its second round of funding following the online dissemination of comments made by founder Liang Wenpeng regarding the U.S.-China AI competition.Bloomberg News reported on July 25, citing sources familiar with the matter, that DeepSeek verbally informed some potential investors that it would not finalize any investment agreements for the time being.However, negotiations remain fluid, and there is still a possibility that DeepSeek could resume its funding efforts in the future.This decision is believed to be influenced, in part, by Liangs dissatisfaction over the leak of his remarks made to investors during the first round of funding, which concluded last month.Recently, a transcript purportedly from a meeting involving Liang and unidentified individuals circulated online in China. According to reports from Chinese economic media, Liang stated that the Chinese AI industry relies heavily on Nvidias semiconductors in the development of advanced models and that it continues to lag behind the U.S. in terms of technology.Last month, DeepSeek raised $7 billion (approximately 10.24 trillion won) in its first external funding round, marking the largest amount ever for a Chinese tech startups initial investment round, with participation from Tencent, the worlds largest battery manufacturer CATL, and the China National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund.DeepSeek had planned to secure an additional 10 billion yuan (approximately 2.1 trillion won) through subsequent funding rounds. Depending on investor participation, the total amount raised could increase, with a pre-investment valuation target of at least 480 billion yuan (approximately 103.7 trillion won), which is higher than the roughly $50 billion (approximately 73.1 trillion won) valuation during the first funding round.DeepSeek is also preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), with the possibility of submitting its listing application as early as this year. If successful, it is expected to be a significant IPO representing the Chinese tech industry.Last year, DeepSeek gained global attention by unveiling an AI model that achieved high performance with relatively limited computing resources. It demonstrated the potential for Chinese companies to compete with leading firms in Silicon Valley, even amid U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductors.* This article has been translated by AI. July 26, 2026 13:48
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U.S. Tech Giants and Korean Semiconductor Leaders Brace for 'AI Earnings Super Week' U.S. tech giants and South Koreas semiconductor leaders are set to announce their second-quarter earnings, marking an AI earnings super week. Following Alphabets recent announcement of better-than-expected results and a reaffirmation of its commitment to expanding AI investments, market attention is now focused on Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Amazon, as well as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.According to the financial investment industry on July 26, earnings reports from key companies in the AI ecosystem will be concentrated this week in the U.S. Microsoft and Meta will release their results after the market closes on July 29, followed by ARM, Qualcomm, and Lam Research. On July 30, Apple, Amazon, and Monolithic Power (MPWR) will also report their earnings. Prior to that, semiconductor equipment firms like KLA and NXP Semiconductors will announce their results on July 28.In South Korea, SK Hynix will report its earnings on July 29, followed by Samsung Electronics, LG Energy Solution, LG Electronics, Samsung SDI, SK Innovation, and POSCO Holdings on July 30. Notably, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are considered key players in the AI memory market, making their results critical indicators for both the domestic stock market and the global semiconductor industry.Expectations for this earnings season are high. Samsung Electronics has already indicated a potential earnings surprise with preliminary results showing second-quarter sales of 171 trillion won and operating profit of 89.4 trillion won, exceeding market consensus. The operating profit marks an 1810% increase compared to the same period last year, setting a new record. SK Hynix is also expected to report its highest-ever earnings, with estimates suggesting second-quarter sales of 84.6 trillion won and operating profit of 64.1 trillion won, surpassing last years annual operating profit in just one quarter.Market participants are paying closer attention to the managements outlook for the second half of the year rather than just the earnings figures. Following Alphabets earnings surprise, which included a raised capital expenditure forecast by $15 billion and a reaffirmation of its AI investment strategy, data from Hana Financial Investment shows that the average stock price returns for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have reached 11% and 17%, respectively, in the month following the announcement.Seo Sang-young, a researcher at Mirae Asset Securities, stated, This earnings season will serve as a process to confirm whether the investment cycle across the AI supply chain, including memory, semiconductor equipment, and power semiconductors, remains valid, starting with big tech. The key will be whether the expansion of AI investments translates into actual improvements in sales, profits, and free cash flow (FCF), as well as how future investment plans and guidance are presented.However, there is a possibility of increased volatility following the earnings announcements. Seo noted, After the earnings reports, the delta hedging by options market participants and the portfolio adjustments by institutions and foreign investors may lead to differentiation by sector and increased volatility in individual stocks. Particularly, stocks reporting earnings tend to experience higher implied volatility (IV) ahead of their announcements, so it is essential to monitor not only the results but also the guidance and conference call content. July 26, 2026 13:48
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Tax Expenditure Reform Underway: Transition from Marriage Tax Credit to Subsidies The South Korean government is expected to replace tax benefits previously granted to newlyweds with direct subsidies to encourage marriage. The housing savings plan, which has been periodically reviewed for potential elimination, is likely to be made a permanent program to ensure housing stability for low-income households. The family business inheritance tax exemption will undergo a comprehensive redesign for the first time in 30 years to prevent circumvention of regulations.According to government sources, the tax reform plan to be announced in early August will focus on livelihood taxes for citizens and vulnerable groups, as well as growth taxes to support economic development.The most significant change will be the transition of the marriage tax credit into a subsidy. Currently, couples who register their marriage can receive a tax credit of up to 1 million won, but those with low incomes who do not pay taxes miss out on this benefit and must wait until year-end tax settlements. The government is also considering converting tax credits for childbirth, adoption, infertility treatments, and medical expenses for children under six into cash support.The housing savings plan, represented by the housing savings income deduction, is expected to be made permanent by eliminating its sunset provision. This program allows heads of households without homes to deduct 40% of their contributions, up to 3 million won annually, to support housing stability for low-income families.For young workers in small businesses, there are currently tax reductions of 90% on income tax for the first five years of employment, and 70% for seniors and people with disabilities for three years. Additional benefits for workers outside the capital region are anticipated. Currently, young startups in non-capital areas receive up to 100% tax reductions on income and corporate taxes for five years, and further measures are expected.The core of the growth tax reform is the domestic production promotion tax system, referred to as the Korean version of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This initiative will provide tax incentives for domestic production and investment in strategic industries such as semiconductors and secondary batteries, along with the establishment of productive financial ISAs and expanded tax credits for R&D and investment in advanced industries.Tax incentives for startups in new industries such as AI, robotics, and biotechnology will be increased, and advanced safety technologies may be added to the list of new growth and core technologies. Additional tax incentives are also being discussed for companies that invest, hire, or conduct R&D in non-capital regions as part of the 5 Extremes and 3 Specialties initiative.The family business inheritance tax exemption, introduced in 1997, will be reformed to prevent circumvention by narrowing the scope of eligible industries and land, while strengthening minimum management periods and post-management requirements. Industries that are at risk of being misused as real estate succession tools will be excluded from eligibility, and the evaluation method for inheritance and gift taxes on low PBR listed stocks will also be revised.To prevent intentional stock price suppression by major shareholders, the evaluation method for inheritance and gift taxes on listed stocks will be reformed. A proposal is being discussed to reflect asset and income values in the evaluation of stocks of listed companies with a price-to-book ratio (PBR) below 0.8. The governments stance on the taxation of virtual assets, which has recently raised the need for a fourth extension, is also expected to be clarified during the announcement of the tax reform plan.The government plans to finalize the restructuring of tax expenditures and announce the complete tax reform plan in early August.* This article has been translated by AI. July 26, 2026 10:24
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Korea's Chimaek diplomacy gets a Silicon Valley AI makeover SEOUL, July 26 (AJP) - South Korea's signature chimaek culture — fried chicken and beer — found a Silicon Valley twist on Friday as President Lee Jae Myung clinked Budweiser bottles over burgers and fish and chips with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun and other AI leaders on San Francisco's waterfront. The informal dinner at a marina restaurant, following a day of high-level meetings and an AI summit, was designed to mirror the relaxed "chimaek diplomacy" Huang enjoyed during his visit to Seoul last year, when the Nvidia chief famously bonded with Korean business leaders over fried chicken and barbecue. This time, California seafood and beer replaced Korean fare, but the objective remained the same: forging personal ties behind one of the world's fastest-growing AI partnerships. Earlier in the day, Lee held separate meetings with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, urging each company to deepen participation in South Korea's AI ambitions. Lee introduced his administration's three mega AI projects and said South Korea was transforming itself into an AI-native economy spanning industry and society. Huang praised Seoul's vision, saying South Korea's ambition to become an "AI-native nation" was inspiring and that the country possessed the talent and industrial foundation to build sovereign AI if it secured sufficient access to graphics processing units. He also highlighted Nvidia's expanding cooperation with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Naver, Hyundai Motor and a planned joint AI research institute with KAIST. Altman described South Korea as one of OpenAI's most important partners and praised Lee's AI leadership. He said equity-based wealth-sharing models could prove more effective than simple cash transfers in the AI era and called Korea's investments in physical AI, energy infrastructure and its three mega projects globally exemplary. OpenAI also expressed interest in using South Korea as a test bed for its next-generation AI devices scheduled for release early next year. Meeting Hock Tan, Lee emphasized that governments and companies must jointly build AI ecosystems rather than compete independently. Tan praised South Korea's AI strategy and highlighted Broadcom's partnerships with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Korean AI startup FuriosaAI, predicting AI infrastructure demand would continue expanding through at least 2029. Amodei said Anthropic would expand cooperation with South Korea in data centers, AI security and cybersecurity after signing a memorandum of understanding with Seoul's science ministry. The meetings culminated in the San Francisco AI Summit, where Lee unveiled the San Francisco AI Declaration, pledging to make South Korea an "irreplaceable" pillar of the global AI supply chain by leveraging its leadership in memory semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and AI infrastructure. The summit also produced a series of commercial commitments between Korean conglomerates and global technology companies. According to the presidential office, SK Group agreed to pursue long-term AI infrastructure cooperation with global technology firms, Samsung Electronics expanded strategic cooperation with Broadcom, while Naver announced plans to develop global AI factories with Nvidia and Brookfield. Together with planned investments in AI data centers and computing infrastructure, the announced projects represent commitments valued at roughly $950 billion. Ending the day around a waterfront dinner table rather than a conference stage, Lee sought to reinforce a broader message that South Korea intends to pair its manufacturing strengths with America's AI software leadership — not only through investment pledges and semiconductor deals, but also through the personal relationships increasingly shaping the global AI race. After concluding his AI-focused visit to San Francisco, Lee headed to South America, where he pledged to deepen cooperation on critical minerals and revive trade talks with the Mercosur bloc. July 26, 2026 07:01 -
Samsung Electronics Partners with Broadcom for $200 Billion AI Memory and Foundry Collaboration Samsung Electronics signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with global AI semiconductor company Broadcom on July 24 during the AI Summit held in San Francisco, aimed at building next-generation AI infrastructure.The AI Summit was attended by Han Jin-man, president of Samsungs Foundry Business, and Hock Tan, CEO of Broadcom, along with executives from both companies and government officials.Samsung plans to expand its collaboration with Broadcom based on its unique one-stop turnkey solution that encompasses memory, foundry, and advanced packaging, aiming to provide differentiated customer value in the next-generation AI semiconductor market.Under this agreement, the two companies will pursue strategic cooperation worth over $200 billion in the memory and foundry sectors over the next five years, further enhancing their technological collaboration in AI semiconductors.Broadcom Strengthens AI Accelerator Competitiveness with Advanced HBM SolutionsAs major global tech companies rapidly adopt custom AI accelerators (ASICs), this partnership is significant as it combines Broadcoms leadership in custom semiconductor design with Samsungs expertise in memory, manufacturing, and packaging technologies to enhance next-generation AI semiconductor competitiveness.Samsung will supply advanced memory solutions, including High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), leveraging its world-class memory technology to enhance the performance and competitiveness of Broadcoms AI accelerators.Following the industry-first mass production of HBM4, which applies 1c DRAM and 4nm base die technology in February, Samsung also supplied HBM4E samples to customers in May, continuing its leadership in next-generation HBM technology.Samsungs HBM is expected to serve as a core memory solution that maximizes the performance of Broadcoms AI accelerators, supporting the competitiveness of next-generation AI infrastructure.Enhancing Broadcoms AI Chip Competitiveness with 2-Nanometer Foundry and Advanced PackagingIn the foundry sector, Samsung will apply advanced foundry processes below 2 nanometers to Broadcoms next-generation communication semiconductor solutions, enhancing product competitiveness.Additionally, Samsung will support the implementation of high-performance, high-efficiency AI semiconductors through advanced packaging technology based on 2-nanometer processes, providing Broadcom with differentiated AI semiconductor solutions.Samsung will also closely integrate the entire process from chip design to advanced packaging and mass production, optimizing semiconductor design and processes to shorten product development timelines while maximizing performance and power efficiency.With this technological competitiveness, Samsung plans to continue expanding its collaboration with Broadcom in the next-generation AI semiconductor field and actively explore new business opportunities in the rapidly growing AI and high-performance computing markets.Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun: Integrated Semiconductor Solutions are Key Competitiveness in the AI EraThis agreement is seen as a strategic partnership that strengthens cooperation between the two companies across key semiconductor technologies—memory, foundry, and advanced packaging—aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the next-generation AI semiconductor ecosystem.Jeon Young-hyun, vice chairman of Samsungs Device Solutions division, stated, In the AI era, semiconductor solutions that integrate memory, logic, and advanced packaging are crucial. By expanding our collaboration with Broadcom, we will accelerate the development of future AI infrastructure and provide greater value to our customers.Charlie Kawas, president of Broadcoms Semiconductor Solutions Group, remarked, As AI infrastructure rapidly expands, close collaboration across the semiconductor ecosystem is becoming increasingly important. Through our partnership with Samsung, we aim to create next-generation solutions optimized for the diverse demands of the market.Through this agreement, Samsung aims to elevate its leadership in next-generation semiconductor technology and manufacturing capabilities, driving innovation in the global AI semiconductor ecosystem.* This article has been translated by AI. July 25, 2026 15:48
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Lee Jae-yong Highlights AI's Importance for Future Generations Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, emphasized the companys commitment to nurturing the next generation in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) by referencing a story from President Yoon Suk Yeols autobiography.Speaking at the San Francisco AI Summit on July 24, Lee recalled a moment from the presidents autobiography when he described feeling awe as a boy after seeing a helicopter land at his rural elementary school 50 years ago. Lee stated, Just as that boy dreamed of the future upon seeing the helicopter, we at Samsung will do our utmost to ensure that the next generation living in the AI era can dream even bigger dreams.He also highlighted the significance of Korea-U.S. cooperation, stating, The AI era cannot be achieved by the strength of a single company or nation alone. If the strengths of our two countries combine, we can innovate faster, grow larger, and solve more complex challenges.Lee expressed his amazement at the rapid pace at which AI is transforming lives and the world during his recent visits to Silicon Valley. He noted, How we develop and utilize AI will determine the vastly different futures that lie ahead of us. Humanitys way of working, thinking, and living has fundamentally changed.He added, Building a perfect ecosystem that includes innovative AI models, cutting-edge semiconductors, reliable data centers, and abundant power is essential, as is global cooperation that transcends borders.Finally, Lee reiterated Samsungs management philosophy of contributing to society through technology, stating, We will continue to pursue innovations in AI that enhance safety and improve human life in alignment with the global community.* This article has been translated by AI. July 25, 2026 15:32
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Korean firms strike $950 billion chip deals with US big tech SEOUL, July 25 (AJP) - South Korean companies and American technology giants will pursue semiconductor cooperation worth a combined $950 billion over the next five years, the presidential Blue House said Saturday, putting a price on the summit President Lee Jae Myung convened in San Francisco a day earlier. Kim Yong-beom, the presidential policy chief, gave the figure at a briefing at the press center in San Francisco, breaking down the results of the San Francisco AI Summit across the three pillars of the government's Three Mega Projects: semiconductors, AI data centers and physical AI. The total comes to about $950 billion (1,375 trillion won). The commitments are frameworks rather than signed orders. The Blue House said the announced scale covers memorandums of understanding and long-term cooperation plans, with actual investment and supply to follow as contracts are executed and projects proceed. Even so, the scale is difficult to overstate. Spread over five years, $950 billion works out to about $190 billion a year, close to the entire annual revenue of either Nvidia or Samsung Electronics, and the total nearly doubles the roughly $520 billion the two Korean chipmakers pledged in June toward new domestic fabrication plants. The largest single piece belongs to SK. The group will pursue long-term supply cooperation for advanced memory chips with Nvidia and other global technology companies worth $750 billion over five years, the Blue House said. That figure resolves a number that had hung over the summit since Friday, when Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang told Lee that a partnership with SK Group would reach $500 billion. No documentation followed his remark. The official tally now puts SK's memory cooperation half again higher, with Huang's figure apparently representing the Nvidia portion of a wider multi-buyer arrangement. Samsung Electronics signed a memorandum of understanding with Broadcom covering $200 billion over five years, spanning advanced memory supply and foundry cooperation to manufacture AI chips. The agreement pairs Samsung's contract chipmaking business with the company designing custom AI processors for several of the world's largest cloud operators. In data centers, Korean and global companies will pursue investment cooperation on roughly five gigawatts of AI data center capacity running about two million graphics processing units. For scale, the government had secured 260,000 advanced GPUs as of this spring, and its first-phase national plan targets eight gigawatts. SK Telecom agreed with Nvidia on support for building and expanding AI data centers of up to two gigawatts, with priority allocation of Nvidia's latest Vera Rubin systems, and will pursue investment in a gigawatt-class domestic AI data center project with Anthropic. Naver signed a strategic investment agreement with Nvidia and an infrastructure supply contract with the global investment firm Brookfield to build an AI factory complex worth a combined $10 billion. In physical AI, Hyundai Motor Group and Nvidia will jointly build what they call a robot reference platform, a standardized base for developing and validating AI robots that universities and startups can build on. The Blue House also said an autonomous vehicle foundry plan was announced with Waymo, without giving details. Samsung SDS signed a strategic partnership with Anthropic to jointly develop new AI markets and train AI engineers. The results land two days after Kim told foreign correspondents the figures companies were preparing could exceed the 4,700 trillion won ($3.2 billion) headline attached to the June investment package, and they close the loop the summit opened. Lee's San Francisco AI Declaration on Friday promised that South Korea would anchor the global AI supply chain while serving as the place where the technology is put to work first. Saturday's tally is the first accounting of what that pitch brought back. "This San Francisco AI Summit was a venue for combining South Korea's semiconductor competitiveness and its AI infrastructure, model and physical AI capabilities with the technology and capital of global big tech, to build an investment and cooperation ecosystem across the full AI stack," Kim said. "It carries meaning as the starting point of a global project that will lead the world's AI industry." July 25, 2026 15:20 -
SK Group's Chey Tae-won Advocates for AI Native Nation at San Francisco Summit SK Group has joined forces with global tech giants in Silicon Valley to expand the global AI ecosystem. On July 24, during the K-AI Summit held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, SK Group reached agreements with Nvidia, Microsoft, and Anthropic to collaborate on AI infrastructure, including AI semiconductors and data centers.Additionally, in a separate meeting with Amazon Web Services (AWS), SK Group discussed expanding domestic AI infrastructure cooperation based on their existing partnership in building a joint AI data center in Ulsan.Following the announcement of nationwide AI data center construction and semiconductor belt investment plans at the Three Mega Projects National Report Meeting in June, SK Group aims to strengthen the execution foundation of these projects through collaboration with global tech firms. This initiative is designed to enhance South Koreas AI competitiveness while expanding the global AI ecosystem.An SK Group official stated, The expansion of cooperation with global tech giants like Nvidia reaffirms the rapidly growing demand for AI infrastructure, such as AI memory. We expect this collaboration to further energize the recently announced Mega Projects by the government.Nvidia and SK Group to Collaborate on Comprehensive AI InfrastructureSK Group will engage in comprehensive cooperation with Nvidia to build AI infrastructure worth over $500 billion. This partnership, which includes the establishment of AI factories and the supply of AI memory, was formalized with a letter of intent (LOI) signed on the same day.Initially, SK Telecom will receive next-generation GPUs to build a domestic AI factory with a capacity of up to 2 gigawatts (GW) and pursue investment collaboration. This partnership is a concrete step following their agreement in June to establish a GW-class AI factory in South Korea.SK Telecom plans to introduce the next-generation AI computing system Vera Rubin, equipped with SK Hynixs HBM4, based on Nvidias full-stack AI factory architecture, the DSX platform. The goal is to gradually establish and operate high-performance AI factories starting in 2027, accelerating the development of large-scale AI infrastructure that encompasses sovereign, physical, and agentic AI, while jointly addressing the growing AI demand in the Asia-Pacific region.This collaboration is expected to accelerate the spread of AI infrastructure utilizing Nvidia technology and broaden customer access to advanced cloud services. As a result, SK Telecom will embark on large-scale AI infrastructure investments and expansions, making cutting-edge AI infrastructure more accessible to a wider range of customers.SK Hynix will also engage in long-term cooperation for AI memory supply. Following their previously established long-term technology partnership, Nvidia will provide next-generation AI memory, allowing SK Hynix to expand its growth base in the AI memory business.The two companies plan to jointly develop and optimize next-generation AI memory, such as HBM, to meet the infrastructure demands ranging from large language model (LLM) training to agentic and physical AI.Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, stated, South Korea has all the conditions to become a global AI powerhouse, including world-class networks, data centers, semiconductor technology leadership, and a vast industrial base. Nvidia will work with SK Telecom and SK Hynix to create a new generation of AI factories that will drive the next growth phase in Korea.Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, remarked, The competitiveness in the AI era depends not only on how well we utilize AI but also on how much intelligence we can generate. SK aims to build world-class AI factories in collaboration with Nvidia, leveraging SK Telecoms AI infrastructure capabilities and SK Hynixs AI memory, contributing to South Koreas transformation from an AI-consuming nation to a global hub for AI innovation.SK Hynix and Microsoft to Establish Long-term AI Memory Supply CooperationSK Hynix has decided to pursue long-term memory supply cooperation with Microsoft. The two companies aim to supply server memory optimized for AI workloads to Microsofts data centers in response to the surging demand for AI services.They plan to explore memory solutions tailored to AI workload requirements and establish new standards for AI server memory through validation in actual server environments.SK Telecom Expands AI Data Center Cooperation with Anthropic and AWSSK Telecom and Anthropic signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on building GW-class AI data centers in South Korea. Anthropic is expected to participate in SK Telecoms ongoing AI data center construction project, with plans to discuss specific cooperation methods.With AWS, SK Telecom will expand the scope of cooperation in AI infrastructure based on their partnership in jointly building the Ulsan AI data center. The two companies aim to combine SK Telecoms domestic AI data center construction and operational capabilities with AWSs global cloud and AI technology and customer base to broaden their business in key domestic locations and secure GW-class AI computing capacity in the long term.On the same day, Chey Tae-won met with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, to discuss long-term cooperation in the AI infrastructure sector. SK and OpenAI have been continuously discussing collaboration plans for AI infrastructure, including memory, and have been strengthening their strategic partnership since signing a partnership agreement last October regarding memory supply and the establishment and operation of a southwestern AI data center.Chey Tae-won Proposes Three Key Tasks for Mega Project SuccessDuring the K-AI Summit attended by President Lee Jae-myung, global tech representatives, AI experts, researchers, startups, and investors, Chey Tae-won emphasized the recent announcement of three mega projects, stating, The investment scale may seem unfamiliar due to its size, but it is a realistic plan based on actual demand in the global AI market.Chey introduced his meetings with executives from global tech firms like Nvidia, Broadcom, Anthropic, and OpenAI, noting, The scale of AI chips and computing power demanded by companies is growing much faster than expected. The announced investment scale is realistic when considering future demand.He added, The three mega projects are AI initiatives for South Koreas growth and a project for all of us. We must consolidate our capabilities as quickly as possible to ensure success.Chey outlined three key tasks for project success: 1) Implementing an AI Native Nation where each citizen utilizes at least one AI agent, making South Korea a global AI testbed; 2) Reducing token costs through memory production and expansion of AI data centers; and 3) Establishing AI governance while minimizing AI-related side effects, including job creation and environmental preservation.He also stated, AI is still in its early stage. South Korea must leap to become an AI infrastructure hub connecting the U.S., Europe, and Asia, based on more memory and AI data centers. July 25, 2026 15:20
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South Korea and U.S. Tech Giants Forge $950 Billion Semiconductor Partnership South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met with top executives from major global tech companies in San Francisco to discuss large-scale investments and collaborations in sectors ranging from semiconductors to artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and physical AI. Over the next five years, a total of $950 billion will be invested in semiconductor cooperation alone.Kim Yong-beom, head of the Presidential Policy Office, announced on July 24 that President Lee held individual meetings with Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA; Hock Tan, CEO of Broadcom; Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; and Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, before attending the San Francisco AI Summit.This event was organized to enhance the scale and execution of the three mega projects announced last month for South Koreas major leap forward by combining the technology and capital of global big tech firms. The government plans to solidify investment and cooperation across the entire AI stack based on South Koreas semiconductor and AI infrastructure, AI models, and physical AI capabilities.Attendees at the summit included President Lee, global tech CEOs, Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group; Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; and Lee Hae-jin, chairman of Navers board. The event attracted over 230 participants, including domestic and international business leaders, researchers, startups, investors, and students.Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, conveyed his commitment to collaborating with South Korea in the semiconductor and AI infrastructure sectors through a video message.In the semiconductor sector, domestic companies and global tech giants have agreed to pursue a total of $950 billion in cooperation.Samsung Electronics and Broadcom signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for advanced memory semiconductor supply and AI chip production, valued at $200 billion over the next five years. SK will also engage in long-term supply cooperation for advanced memory semiconductors worth $750 billion with global tech firms, including NVIDIA.The Ministry of Science and ICT and AMD signed an MOU on July 23 to jointly establish and demonstrate AI computing infrastructure that links South Koreas neural processing units (NPU) with AMDs central processing units (CPU) and graphics processing units (GPU). The government views this as a foundation for cooperation that encompasses semiconductor supply and production, next-generation chip co-design, and domestic AI semiconductor validation.In the AI data center sector, investment cooperation is being pursued to secure approximately 5GW of infrastructure and around 2 million GPUs based on NVIDIAs B200 standard.SK Telecom will collaborate with NVIDIA to build and expand AI data centers with a capacity of up to 2GW, prioritizing the allocation of the latest GPU, the Vera Rubin system. They will also pursue investment cooperation for a domestic GW-level AI data center project with Anthropic. Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to expand its existing Ulsan AI data center project into a major domestic hub to secure GW-level AI computing capacity.Naver aims to establish a global AI factory worth $10 billion, backed by investments from NVIDIA and Brookfield. Naver will secure $1 billion from NVIDIA to enhance GPU supply and technical collaboration, while Brookfield will provide up to $9 billion to jointly build the infrastructure and supply chain necessary for operating the GW-level AI factory.Cooperation plans were also announced in the fields of physical AI, autonomous driving, and AI talent development.Hyundai Motor Group and NVIDIA will jointly develop a standardized robot reference platform to create and validate AI robots, which will be made available to universities and startups to support various robot development initiatives. Hyundai also announced plans for an autonomous vehicle foundry in collaboration with Waymo.Samsung SDS and Anthropic signed a strategic partnership agreement to jointly explore new AI markets and train AI engineers.During the summit, President Lee announced the San Francisco AI Declaration, presenting a vision to make South Korea a global AI production hub and a foundation for innovation. He aims to create a dynamic market that utilizes AI most effectively and to establish a horizontal cooperation network among countries, propelling South Korea to become a global AI hub.President Lee also emphasized the importance of developing AI responsibly and human-centered, aiming to realize an AI basic society that translates growth outcomes into new opportunities for society as a whole. This initiative seeks to position South Korea as an indispensable core country in the global AI supply chain.After the event, President Lee dined with Jensen Huang, Hock Tan, Rani Borkar, president of Microsoft Azure Hardware, and other business leaders, including Lee Jae-yong, Chey Tae-won, and Chung Eui-sun.Participants responded to President Lees call to action by affirming their commitment to global AI supply chain cooperation. President Lee noted that thanks to corporate investments and collaborations, the countrys economic growth rate has significantly increased, achieving its best performance in decades, and urged continued contributions to the development of the industrial ecosystem.Jensen Huang remarked that South Korea is already a global powerhouse in AI, stating, While AI technology is indeed challenging, it is not impossible. He suggested that investing in South Korea could yield top-tier frontier AI models in a short time and emphasized the need to build both domestic AI models and utilize those from other countries.Kim Yong-beom stated, The government plans to strengthen cooperation between domestic companies and global big tech through these individual meetings, the AI summit, and the dinner, aiming to achieve visible results from the three mega projects at an early stage.* This article has been translated by AI. July 25, 2026 13:32
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Nvidia puts SK partnership at $500 billion SEOUL, July 25 (AJP) - A partnership between SK Group and Nvidia will reach $500 billion, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said in San Francisco on Friday (local time), naming a sum larger than everything the chipmaker sold in its last full fiscal year. He said it in the future tense during a meeting with President Lee Jae Myung at a hotel downtown. The two companies would announce the partnership that day, he said, and the scale reached $500 billion (733 trillion won). As of Saturday morning in Seoul, no press release, regulatory filing, or statement from either company had put the figure on paper. The running blog Nvidia maintained through the summit carried a joint research lab with a Korean university and a note about a dinner in Woodside, California. It made no mention of $500 billion. The number is worth measuring against the company that named it. Nvidia reported revenue of $215.9 billion for the fiscal year that ended in January, a record, up 65 percent from the year before. The figure Huang attached to SK Group is more than twice that. It sits close to the roughly $520 billion Samsung Electronics and SK hynix jointly committed last month to new fabrication plants in southwestern South Korea, and it matches the headline value of Stargate, the data center program OpenAI announced last year. What the money covers, over what period, and whether it represents new business or a value placed on an arrangement that already exists were all left undisclosed. The last question is the live one. Nvidia and SK announced an expanded partnership in Seoul on June 8, and it was not small. SK hynix signed a multiyear technology agreement to co-develop memory for Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI supercomputers, Vera central processing units, RTX Spark personal computers and Jetson Thor robotics platforms. SK Telecom agreed to build a full-stack AI cloud on Nvidia's DSX platform, aimed at gigawatt-scale AI factories. SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won said at the time that cooperation with Nvidia, until then centered on memory supply, was being raised to the level of the whole group. Huang did not say on Friday whether the $500 billion is separate from that framework or a price now attached to it. Around the headline figure sat a list of commitments that reached across most of South Korean industry. SK hynix and Samsung Electronics would work with Nvidia on chip design and memory design, Huang said. Naver would receive a large investment, and he described the company as South Korea's leading cloud provider, saying the partnership would support its expansion at home and abroad. With Hyundai Motor Group, Nvidia would jointly develop a self-driving Genesis vehicle and work on robotics. With LG, he said, the two companies are developing power generation systems for use in factories and in homes. Two of the announcements concern where the research happens rather than what gets built. Nvidia is starting what Huang called an AI frontier lab in South Korea, and he said leading company researchers plan to relocate from California to work there. Nvidia and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced a joint AI research lab on Friday at the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI on the university's Seoul campus, a $300 million commitment over an initial five years that includes $50 million a year in computing resources, funding for at least 10 researchers annually and internships for each of them. Nvidia describes it as the first joint AI lab between a Korean university and any global technology company. Aju Press reported the terms on Friday. Huang tied that work to something larger. Nvidia is cooperating with KAIST to build what he called Korea AI, he said, and plans to develop a Korean large language model in South Korea, for South Koreans. Partnerships now run from conglomerates to startups to research organizations, he added, and span AI chips, physical AI and infrastructure. Physical AI is the government's term for machines that carry the technology off the screen, robots and vehicles and factory equipment that sense their surroundings and act on them. It is one of the three pillars of the investment package Lee announced on June 29, alongside semiconductors and AI data centers. Blue House policy chief Kim Yong-beom told reporters on Thursday that more than half of the roughly eight gigawatts of first-phase AI data center capacity the government has planned is expected to take firm shape during the two-day visit. He declined to give values ahead of company announcements, and said the presidential trip had acted as a catalyst, helping close negotiations between South Korean and American companies that had run on for months. Lee used the meeting to press for more. South Korea intends to become the country that leads the world on artificial intelligence and on putting AI to actual use, he said, asking Nvidia to take an active role. The government spent the past year preparing before launching the Three Mega Projects, he added, and is now building a society and a state with AI at the center. The exchange was friendly. Lee told Huang he had watched broadcasts of the Nvidia chief eating fried chicken and drinking beer in Seoul more than once and had been sorry to miss it. Huang said the energy he felt in South Korea, from fried chicken through to grilled pork belly, had been remarkable, and credited Lee's stated goal of building an AI native nation with giving the country momentum. Lee picked up a phrase Huang had used and returned it. Calling this an AI golden age is exactly right, he said, and the country is now entering the beginning of it. "Under the president's leadership, Korea has achieved a great deal over the past year," Huang said. "It would not be an exaggeration to call this truly South Korea's golden age." July 25, 2026 11:44 -
Korea's Trade Chief Engages U.S. to Address Digital Policy Concerns The South Korean government has launched an active campaign to address U.S. concerns regarding the Section 301 tariff measures and domestic digital regulations, including the Coupang incident.According to Yonhap News on July 25, Yeo Han-goo, head of the Trade Negotiation Bureau, visited Washington, D.C., from July 21 to 24 to engage in in-depth discussions on key trade issues with U.S. government officials, lawmakers, and industry leaders.During this visit, Yeo met with ten U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Bill Hagerty and Representative Adrian Smith, chair of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, to clearly convey that South Koreas digital laws and policies do not discriminate against U.S. companies.He emphasized the need for close cooperation in critical industries such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, and energy, reminding them that South Korea is one of the largest investors in the U.S. He also urged for active support from the U.S. Congress to strengthen the mutually beneficial economic relationship between the two countries.Yeo joined a delegation from the Korea-U.S. Congressional Friendship Group, led by Representative Shin Dong-hoon, to meet with Senators Steve Daines and Brad Schneider, reaffirming their commitment to enhancing Korea-U.S. relations.Additionally, in meetings with major U.S. tech companies such as Google, Apple, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Qualcomm, he reiterated that South Korean government policies do not apply discriminatory practices against U.S. firms.Earlier, on July 21, just before the legal expiration date of the global tariff (10%) under Section 122 of the U.S. Trade Act, Yeo met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to confirm plans for future actions regarding the Section 301 investigation.At that meeting, he conveyed the South Korean governments position that the balance of benefits under the existing Korea-U.S. tariff agreement must be maintained.* This article has been translated by AI. July 25, 2026 11:12
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President Lee pitches South Korea as AI testbed SEOUL, July 25 (AJP) - The country that makes most of the world's memory chips now wants to be the first country to put artificial intelligence to work everywhere else. President Lee Jae Myung carried that argument to San Francisco on Friday, delivering what his office named the San Francisco AI Declaration to a room holding the chief executives of Nvidia, OpenAI, Anthropic and Broadcom. The declaration made two promises at once. South Korea would keep AI chips moving to global buyers under any conditions, and it would open its own factories, cities and public offices as the ground where the technology gets proven in use. The first promise rests on market position. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix together account for roughly 80 percent of global sales of high-bandwidth memory, the chips stacked alongside the graphics processors that run large AI models, according to the Korea Economic Institute of America. The second rests on a domestic program that has no clear equivalent anywhere else. Both trace back to the package the government calls the Three Mega Projects, announced on June 29 at the presidential Blue House, the presidential office in Seoul, when Samsung and SK Group committed a combined 4,755 trillion won ($3.2 trillion) to semiconductors, AI data centers and physical AI, the government's term for robots and other machines that carry the technology off the screen. Adding pledges from GS, Naver and others, the Blue House put the total near 5,000 trillion won. "South Korea will rise as an irreplaceable core country in the global AI supply chain," Lee said in his address. He grounded that in memory manufacturing, saying the country would serve as a trusted production base for AI chips and as a supply chain partner, and pointed to a shift already underway from a single cluster near Seoul toward production sites spread across the provinces. Then he moved to the part other governments cannot easily copy. South Korea would become a global AI testbed and production platform, he said, a place where the technology runs not only in laboratories and on screens but on factory floors, inside cities and across logistics networks. He asked the executives in front of him to choose the country as the stage where their technologies and ideas turn into working products fastest. That claim leans on a program Lee has pushed since taking office in June 2025, which his government calls an AI Basic Society. The premise is that access to AI belongs closer to a public utility than to a consumer product. Lee put it plainly at the Blue House in December, telling SoftBank chairman Masayoshi Son that AI should become basic infrastructure the way water, sewerage and roads are, available to every citizen, company and organization at least at a working level. The legislative piece arrived on January 22, when South Korea's framework act on the development of AI took effect after a one-year grace period. It pairs rules for higher-risk applications with state support for adoption. The European Union legislated first but has delayed its high-risk provisions, which leaves South Korea as the first country actually applying a comprehensive AI law in full. Lee cited it from the stage. "South Korea will build a society where no citizen is left behind even in the AI era," he said. "We call this an AI Basic Society." The programs underneath are specific and close at hand. Bae Kyung-hoon, deputy prime minister and minister of science and information and communication technology, told a ministry briefing at the Blue House on July 16 that a free AI service for the entire population, branded AI for All, would launch in December. He said at the same session that South Korea was capable of building a model in the class of Mythos, the frontier system from Anthropic, whose chief executive sat in the San Francisco audience eight days later. Kim Yong-beom, the policy chief at the Blue House, sharpened the argument on July 21. Access to AI should now be treated as a basic right, he said, and the state should hand citizens a domestically built system at no cost, both to pull users away from foreign services and to accumulate the demand and data a home market needs to grow on its own. He drew a line between that and cash welfare. Guaranteeing everyone a minimum amount of computing, in his framing, adds to what a person can produce rather than to what they can spend. A second program would place an AI agent inside public administration, identifying the benefits and permits a citizen qualifies for and filing the applications on their behalf. Kim argued that the state absorbing the risk of first adoption is what opens the larger market, since AI has still not moved into the places where people currently exercise judgment and carry responsibility, among them hospital consulting rooms, classrooms and government offices. Money and hardware have followed. The government tripled AI spending this year to 10.1 trillion won from 3.3 trillion. It has secured 260,000 advanced graphics processors, helped by a priority supply commitment Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang made at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju last October. A presidential committee on national AI strategy, chaired by Lee, launched in September 2025 with a contribution to a global AI Basic Society written in as one of three policy pillars. The gap that remains is wide. Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI , in an index published in April, counted five notable AI models from South Korea, third in the world but far behind 50 from the United States and 30 from China. The same report ranked South Korea first for AI patents per 100,000 people for a second consecutive year, a pattern that fits a country better at applying technology than at inventing the frontier version of it. Lee's pitch in San Francisco was, in effect, that the first skill is worth buying. The response from the room was warm. Altman had met Lee at a hotel in downtown San Francisco earlier on Friday, where Lee asked him to take a larger role in the Three Mega Projects. Altman told him the effort the South Korean government was making on AI placed the country among the most important in the world, and said he hoped leaders elsewhere would follow Lee's example on investment and policy. Wide access to enough high-quality AI mattered greatly, he added, and he pointed to the Korean projects as the kind of program that delivers it. Lee had opened that meeting by telling Altman that South Koreans were pleased and hopeful he had taken an interest and decided to invest while the country reorganizes its industries around AI. Smiling, he added that he had been making good use of ChatGPT. Concrete numbers were promised but not disclosed. Kim said on Friday that the summit would produce confirmed customers for large-scale AI data center construction, and that Samsung Electronics and SK hynix had each agreed new long-term supply contracts for specified chips. At a briefing for foreign correspondents the previous day, he said the figures the companies were preparing to announce could exceed the June headline. That headline deserves reading closely. Of Samsung's 2,655 trillion won, 2,030 trillion is committed to the existing Pyeongtaek and Yongin clusters, leaving 625 trillion for the new sites in the Honam, Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions. The government has said investment outside the capital region comes to about 1,600 trillion won. The totals bundle new commitments together with capital plans the companies had already set, and both depend on power and water arriving on schedule at sites where neither is guaranteed. The government-backed summit was held at the Midway, an arts and events venue in San Francisco, and drew about 150 people, including researchers, investors and startup founders. Samsung Electronics executive chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group executive chair Chung Eui-sun and Naver co-founder and board chair Lee Hae-jin attended alongside Huang, Altman, Amodei and Broadcom president and chief executive Hock Tan. Lee put the combined corporate value of the companies represented at more than 20,000 trillion won, about $13.6 trillion. San Francisco is the first stop on an 11-day trip that continues to Brazil, Chile and Argentina before a stopover in Frankfurt. In his closing remarks, Lee reached for a larger frame. AI , he said, is like a new fire that humanity has discovered, and responding to what cannot be avoided is something South Korea has proved good at. The country is not yet 100 years past colonial rule and started again from the total destruction of war, he noted, reaching industrialization and then democracy in a short span. He then tied the economic argument to South Korean politics. Economic questions and democracy run together, he said, because both demand that things be rational, transparent, fair and predictable. He cited what he called the turmoil of about two years ago as proof of the country's democratic capacity, a reference to the martial law declaration of December 2024 and the impeachment that followed. "Until now, South Korea has been chasing the advanced countries," Lee said. "Now we intend to stand a step ahead and take the path of becoming a model for everyone." He asked the global companies in the room to work with the country at the threshold of what he called the AI golden age. "I dare say you will never be disappointed." July 25, 2026 10:55