Why Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Is Betting Big on Korea
If you’ve been following tech news lately, one name keeps popping up in connection with South Korea: Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia. Fresh off Computex 2026 in Taipei, Huang is heading straight to Seoul — and Korean tech stocks are already feeling the excitement. But this isn’t just another business trip. It signals something much bigger: Nvidia is making Korea a cornerstone of its global AI and robotics strategy.
What’s Bringing Him to Seoul?
Huang is scheduled to visit the headquarters of LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver in a single day. He’ll also meet SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won — their fourth meeting within just six months. For context, that level of meeting frequency between a global tech CEO and a single country’s business leaders is virtually unheard of in the industry.
The agenda? Robotics and physical AI.
Huang has made no secret of his enthusiasm for Korea’s potential. At a Korea Partner Night dinner held in Taipei during Computex 2026, he told reporters: “I think robotics is very important to Korea. I hope Nvidia can contribute to its development.” He also praised Korea’s “imagination and ambition,” and even promised to grill samgyeopsal — Korean pork belly — during his visit. That kind of personal touch has endeared him to Korean fans and business partners alike.
What Is Physical AI?
Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence that operates in the real world — think humanoid robots, autonomous vehicles, and smart factories. Unlike software AI that lives in data centers and chat interfaces, physical AI interacts with the physical environment around it. It picks things up, navigates spaces, and makes real-time decisions in unpredictable settings.
It’s widely considered the next frontier of the AI revolution, and Korea is positioning itself as a global hub for it. The country already has the manufacturing muscle, the semiconductor expertise, and the engineering talent to make it happen.
Korea’s Key Players in the AI Robotics Race
Each of the companies on Huang’s itinerary brings something unique to the table.
LG Electronics unveiled its CLOiD home robot at CES 2026. The robot runs on Nvidia’s Jetson Thor robotics chipset and Isaac platform, making it one of the most advanced consumer robots currently in development. Huang’s visit is expected to deepen this partnership significantly.
Hyundai Motor Group is building on its work with Boston Dynamics, the robotics company it acquired, and its humanoid robot Atlas. Nvidia’s AI factory solutions are expected to play a growing role in Hyundai’s autonomous driving and smart manufacturing ambitions.
Naver, Korea’s leading tech and internet company, secured 60,000 Nvidia GPUs at last year’s APEC summit. Now, the focus is shifting toward physical AI and sovereign AI infrastructure — making Naver a key software and infrastructure partner in Korea’s AI ecosystem.
SK Group, through SK Hynix, is already deeply embedded in Nvidia’s AI supply chain as a leading producer of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips. Industry insiders suggest that HBM contract prices for the next round could surge by as much as 100%, reflecting just how critical this partnership has become.
Why Korea?
Korea has a unique combination of strengths that few other countries can match. It has world-class semiconductor manufacturers in Samsung and SK Hynix. It has industrial giants like Hyundai and LG with deep robotics ambitions. And it has a tech-savvy culture and workforce that Huang clearly admires.
“Korea has a great ecosystem and many very smart and technologically capable companies,” Huang said. “The economy is also growing well. So I am happy.”
There’s also a cultural connection. Huang has repeatedly expressed his love for Korean food — especially chicken, samgyeopsal, and samgyetang. He famously shared chimaek (fried chicken and beer) with Samsung and Hyundai chairmen at a chicken restaurant in Seoul last October. These moments of warmth have helped build unusually strong personal relationships between Huang and Korea’s top business leaders.
The Market Is Already Responding
Investors aren’t waiting for official announcements. LG Electronics shares hit their daily upper limit — a 29.93% gain — on news of Huang’s planned visit. Robotics-related stocks across the board surged as markets anticipate concrete partnership announcements and potential investment commitments from Nvidia.
What to Watch Next
Keep an eye on announcements from LG, Hyundai, Naver, and SK following Huang’s Seoul visit. If Nvidia formalizes investment commitments in Korea’s robotics sector, it could mark a historic turning point for Korea’s position in the global AI race.
One final note: there’s even speculation that Huang — a known baseball fan who has thrown ceremonial first pitches in the US — might take the mound at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul this weekend during a series between the Doosan Bears and Kiwoom Heroes. It would be a very on-brand moment for a CEO who has made connecting with Korea feel genuinely personal.
Korea is no longer just a chip supplier to the AI industry. It’s becoming one of its most important strategic partners. And Jensen Huang seems very happy about that.