Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Nvidia, the world’s largest maker of artificial intelligence chips, is set to sign a series of large-scale supply agreements with South Korea’s leading corporations this week, a move that aligns with Seoul’s ambitions to become one of the world’s top three AI powers and the company’s efforts to diversify beyond China amid deepening U.S.–China trade tensions.
According to business officials and foreign media reports on Wednesday, Nvidia plans to finalize new chip supply contracts with Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and Naver.
The deals are expected to be unveiled Thursday ahead of a special session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju, where Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang is attending as a keynote speaker.
While the financial terms have not been disclosed, industry observers expect the agreements to span data centers, mobility, and next-generation AI infrastructure projects.
Huang is also scheduled to meet Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Executive Chair Euisun Chung for a private dinner on Wednesday, where discussions are likely to center on the contracts. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won may join the meeting, according to people familiar with the matter.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (center) meets with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won in the United States last August. (Yonhap)
The deals highlight the growing convergence between Korean industry and Nvidia’s global strategy. Bloomberg and other outlets described the agreements as reflecting Huang’s intention to strengthen partnerships with Seoul, which aims to establish itself as a major global hub for AI development.
President Lee Jae Myung echoed that ambition in his special address at the APEC CEO Summit on Wednesday, saying South Korea would propose an “AI Initiative for All” as part of the forum’s agenda.
In a separate remark earlier this week at Nvidia’s GTC developer conference in Washington, Huang hinted at the announcement, calling it “news that will make both the people of Korea and President Trump very happy,” and describing Korean companies as “close friends and excellent partners.”
Nvidia already maintains extensive ties with South Korean firms. Samsung Electronics has supplied high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for Nvidia’s AI processors, while SK Group has pledged full cooperation with Nvidia, OpenAI and SoftBank on the “Stargate” project, a large-scale global AI infrastructure initiative.
Industry analysts expect Nvidia’s chips to power Samsung’s data centers and SK’s planned $4.9 billion AI data center in Ulsan, which is being built in partnership with Amazon Web Services.
Nvidia also deepened its partnership with Hyundai Motor Group in January through a strategic agreement focused on mobility innovation, robotics and software-defined vehicles. The company’s AI computing platforms are expected to play a role in Hyundai’s autonomous driving and robotics businesses.
For Naver, Korea’s largest internet company, the partnership may involve combining Nvidia’s modular AI platform NeMo with Naver’s own hyperscale AI model, HyperCLOVA X, to advance large-language model development.
“The agreements represent a win-win for both sides,” said one industry official. “They will help Korea advance its AI leadership while giving Nvidia new growth opportunities in one of the world’s most dynamic tech markets.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
