In a move that could reshape the landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) in Asia and beyond, Nvidia Corp has inked a sweeping deal with South Korea’s largest conglomerates and the national government to supply more than 260,000 of its most advanced AI accelerator chips. The agreement, formalized during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea, marks a turning point for both the Silicon Valley chipmaker and South Korea’s ambitions to become a global AI powerhouse.
The deal brings together Nvidia and a formidable roster of South Korean giants—Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, SK Group, and Naver—under the banner of building the next generation of AI infrastructure. According to Bloomberg and The Associated Press, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang traveled to South Korea to personally champion the partnership, attending the high-profile APEC summit and meeting with President Lee Jae Myung and the heads of the country’s top corporations.
“South Korea’s goal is to become the AI capital of the Asia-Pacific region,” President Lee declared in a statement, setting the tone for a week that would see South Korea’s tech ambitions on full display. The government’s plan is bold: deploy more than 50,000 Nvidia accelerators in national data centers and facilities owned by Kakao Corp, Naver Corp, and NHN Cloud Corp, establishing what officials describe as a “sovereign AI” infrastructure. The aim is to secure domestic control over critical AI capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign technology—a strategic move amid global tech rivalries.
Samsung Electronics, already one of the world’s largest chipmakers, is set to build a massive “AI factory” powered by more than 50,000 Nvidia chips. The company is also in talks to supply next-generation HBM4 memory to Nvidia, with plans for mass production in the near future. This collaboration could see Samsung not only as a customer but as a supplier for Nvidia’s most cutting-edge memory components, further intertwining the two tech titans’ futures.
Hyundai Motor Group, meanwhile, will deploy a similar number of Nvidia’s Blackwell chips to turbocharge its AI model development, manufacturing automation, and autonomous driving technologies. In a joint investment with Nvidia, Hyundai will pour US$3 billion into building a national AI computing center. The company also announced plans to construct a supercomputer dedicated to autonomous driving, robotics, and in-vehicle AI systems, deepening its collaboration with Nvidia. As reported by Kursiv, these moves are designed to keep Hyundai at the forefront of automotive innovation as the industry pivots toward smart, connected vehicles.
SK Group and its affiliates, including SK Telecom and SK Hynix, will roll out Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell chips to power what’s being billed as Asia’s first “industrial AI cloud.” This infrastructure will support robotics and advanced AI applications across a range of industries. SK’s participation signals the group’s intent to lead in both the deployment and development of industrial AI solutions.
Naver, another key player in South Korea’s tech scene, will purchase 60,000 Nvidia chips to bolster its cloud computing and AI development efforts. The government also plans to expand its National AI Computing Centre in partnership with Naver and Kakao, using the influx of Nvidia hardware to accelerate research and innovation. The sheer scale of these investments reflects a national determination to leapfrog into the upper echelons of AI research and commercialization.
For Nvidia, the South Korean deal is a crowning achievement in a year of extraordinary milestones. Just days before the announcement, Nvidia’s market capitalization soared past US$5 trillion, making it the world’s first $5 trillion company. The company’s dominance in the global AI chip market has been fueled by insatiable demand for its accelerators, which power everything from generative AI models to autonomous vehicles and robotics.
Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s charismatic CEO, has become something of a celebrity in South Korea. His arrival in Gyeongju for the APEC summit was met with fanfare reminiscent of Apple’s Steve Jobs, as noted by AP. But Huang’s influence extended beyond the boardroom. On the eve of the summit, he was spotted sharing fried chicken and beer at Seoul’s Kkanbu Chicken restaurant with Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai executive chair Chung Eui-sun. The trio’s impromptu gathering—complete with cheese sticks, soju, and the ringing of the restaurant’s “golden bell”—quickly went viral on social media. “I love fried chicken and beer with my friends, so Kkanbu is a perfect place, right?” Huang told onlookers, offering a rare glimpse into the camaraderie behind the historic deal.
The symbolism of that night was not lost on industry watchers. The combined net worth of the three leaders exceeds $195 billion, and their willingness to break bread together signaled a new era of collaboration between Silicon Valley and South Korea’s tech elite. As Kursiv reported, the moment underscored the growing friendship that could shape the next phase of the global AI revolution.
Yet, even as Nvidia cements its dominance in South Korea and the broader Asia-Pacific region, uncertainties remain. The company’s high-end Blackwell processors are currently subject to U.S. export restrictions, limiting sales to China—a market that once accounted for a significant portion of Nvidia’s business. While former U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed openness to discussing the issue with Beijing, the topic reportedly did not come up in his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Bloomberg, Huang is hopeful about re-entering the Chinese market but acknowledges that no concrete plans exist at present.
South Korea’s pursuit of “sovereign AI” infrastructure is partly a response to these global tensions. By investing in domestic capacity and partnering with Nvidia, the country aims to insulate itself from the shifting sands of international tech policy and supply chain disruptions. For President Lee Jae Myung, the stakes are high: success could position South Korea as a model for other nations seeking to harness AI for economic growth and strategic autonomy.
As the dust settles from a week of high-stakes meetings, billion-dollar deals, and viral fried chicken dinners, one thing is clear: the partnership between Nvidia and South Korea’s industrial giants is more than just a business transaction. It’s a statement of intent—a bet that AI, powered by the world’s most advanced chips, will be the engine of the next industrial revolution. And with the eyes of the world on Gyeongju, the race to lead that revolution has never felt more real.
