Nvidia announced a series of agreements in South Korea with SK Hynix, Naver, SK Telecom and Doosan Group as the US chipmaker moves to secure advanced memory and expand AI data-centre capacity during CEO Jensen Huang’s high-profile visit to the country.
The companies did not disclose financial terms, but the partnerships span multi-year memory development with SK Hynix, AI cloud infrastructure with SK Telecom, and data-center builds leveraging Nvidia technology with Naver and Doosan.
Nvidia and SK Hynix said their pact aims to align memory supply with Nvidia’s growing plans across robotics, PCs and AI supercomputers amid tight global capacity; Huang added SK Hynix intends to double wafer capacity by 2030, a target he said still may lag surging AI demand.
SK Telecom said it would develop a gigawatt-scale AI cloud in South Korea using Nvidia platforms, with the first data centre slated for 2027, while Naver and Doosan will incorporate Nvidia systems in AI facilities they plan to build, the companies said. Nvidia is also partnering with LG Group on electronics, mechanical systems and AI for humanoid robots, and collaborating with Hyundai Motor Group on autonomous mobility, robotics and AI-powered manufacturing, according to Huang’s remarks during meetings with Korean conglomerate leaders.
Market volatility shadowed the announcements as South Korea’s Kospi fell sharply alongside global tech stocks after robust US jobs data stoked rate-hike concerns; shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix also declined on the day. Huang downplayed the pullback, saying investors could see it as a buying opportunity given AI’s long-term growth prospects.