SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is visiting Seoul this week, and his trip is already generating buzz across local industries and financial markets, with major deals expected across areas including memory chips and artificial intelligence (AI).
The excitement follows Huang's announcements Monday at Nvidia's developer conference in Taipei, where he said that the company's next-generation AI chips have entered mass production.
"Now in full production - HBM4 memory from Micron, SK hynix and Samsung, the Vera Rubin computer," Huang said, confirming that South Korean memory chipmakers are a key part of Nvidia's supply chain.
Huang also pointed out Nvidia's wider partnerships in the region, saying, "Here's Naver Cloud from Korea, Bank of Korea, Hyundai, so many other companies."
That had an immediate impact on the South Korean stock market, with Samsung Electronics surging 10 percent and crossing the 350,000 won mark for the first time ever during intraday trading earlier in the week.
South Korea's largest internet portal Naver also jumped 16 percent, while LG Electronics, whose executives are scheduled to meet with Huang, surged sharply for a third consecutive trading session.
Industry observers say Huang's meetings with key business leaders here could go beyond routine business talks, potentially reshaping the global AI supply chain.
In the semiconductor sector, SK hynix maintains its stronghold as a core supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for Nvidia's AI accelerators. For Samsung Electronics, the visit marks a critical juncture to evaluate its HBM competitiveness and explore further collaboration in foundry operations.
The agenda is also expected to focus heavily on physical AI. LG Group chairman Koo Kwang-mo is expected to discuss expanding partnerships in robotics, smart homes, and on-device AI. Talks with Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun are expected to cover autonomous driving, software-defined vehicles and robotics.
There are also high expectations around Naver in the area of sovereign AI, with Huang potentially visiting the company's robot-friendly 1784 headquarters.
Doosan Group's robotics and smart factory divisions are also expected to benefit, while Doosan Enerbility is seen as a key player in meeting the growing power demands of AI data centers.
Huang is scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport on Thursday evening, before meeting with heads of South Korea's largest conglomerates and tech experts the following day including Chung, Koo, SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won, Naver's Lee Hae-jin, and Doosan Group chairman Park Jeong-won.
But Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong is reportedly likely to miss the gathering this time due to an overseas business trip.
Beyond formal meetings, an informal gathering is also expected on Friday evening. Huang is expected to join major tech leaders for samgyeopsal or pork belly with soju at a restaurant in Seoul's hip district of Seongsu-dong, in what analysts say could be an intimate dinner that may strengthen personal ties across the global AI industry.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
