Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, is set to visit South Korea following a trip to Taiwan, as he directly engages in managing the semiconductor supply chain in Asia. In Taiwan, he aims to solidify ties with the local semiconductor ecosystem, known as the "brotherhood room," through significant investments and the establishment of a local headquarters. He will then head to South Korea to arrange a second "Kangbu meeting" with major business leaders in the country.
According to industry sources on May 28, Huang plans to visit South Korea after concluding his schedule at the GTC event in Taiwan. If the visit occurs, he is expected to meet with prominent figures such as Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group; Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group; and Lee Hae-jin, founder of Naver. This meeting is anticipated to revisit discussions on AI collaboration following their initial gathering at a chicken restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, last October.
The main agenda for this visit is expected to focus on physical AI. NVIDIA is expanding its AI ecosystem beyond generative AI to include robotics, autonomous driving, smart factories, and manufacturing automation. SK Group is involved in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), Hyundai Motor Group in robotics and autonomous driving, LG Group in automotive and manufacturing AI, and Naver in cloud and AI platforms, all of which intersect with NVIDIA's interests.
Despite the emphasis on Taiwan in Huang's Asian strategy, South Korea's strategic importance is not diminished. South Korea boasts capabilities in HBM, memory semiconductors, automotive, batteries, robotics, and internet platforms. For NVIDIA, while Taiwan's TSMC-centered supply chain is critical for AI semiconductor manufacturing, South Korea provides essential partners for expanding AI infrastructure and implementing physical AI.
Notably, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics are competing for the HBM supply chain, which is vital for NVIDIA's next-generation GPU performance. Analysts suggest that Huang will need to maintain ongoing relationships with South Korean semiconductor firms. Although Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is likely to miss this meeting due to overseas commitments, the company remains a key player in NVIDIA's supply chain.
Industry insiders interpret Huang's movements as establishing Taiwan as a manufacturing ally and South Korea as an expansion ally. While Taiwan serves as a core hub for AI semiconductor manufacturing and assembly, South Korea is seen as a partner for broadening AI applications in industries such as HBM, automotive, robotics, and cloud computing.
An industry source stated, "It is clear that NVIDIA views Taiwan as its most reliable manufacturing partner, but South Korea is also an indispensable country for expanding the AI ecosystem. Jensen Huang's visit will demonstrate that South Korean companies still hold an important position in NVIDIA's future AI plans."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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