Nvidia's Jensen Huang considers holding flagship conference in Korea

Jensen Huang, CEO of U.S. chip giant Nvidia, on Thursday cited robotics as a potential area of investment in Korea as he prepares to visit the country later this week.

Huang also told Korean reporters in Taipei, Taiwan, that he would hold the Nvidia GTC, the company's flagship conference focused on AI and emerging technologies, in Korea if the country so wishes.

The Nvidia chief's remarks came ahead of his visit to Seoul, which industry sources said is scheduled to begin Thursday night. On Friday, he is expected to kick off a series of meetings with the heads of major conglomerates that could pave the way for broader cooperation in AI and robotics.

Asked whether he is considering any investments in Korea, Huang replied that they will always be under consideration, as the country has excellent infrastructure and businesses.

He singled out robotics as a potential area of investment, saying he thinks it is an important sector for Korea and Nvidia hopes to contribute to its development in the country.

Hwang pointed out that Korea is experiencing a dwindling work force despite its great imagination and creativity, and could maximize its potential with the help of AI and robots.

Among those expected to attend the meetings with Huang are SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Lee Hae-jin, founder and board chair of Naver, industry sources said. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung is also considering taking part in the discussions.

Huang, however, declined to reveal who he will be meeting, saying only that what is important is that he will be eating fried chicken and samgyeopsal, or pork belly.

During his previous trip to Seoul in October, which coincided with his participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, Huang drew widespread attention when he joined Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Chung for a late-night meal of Korean fried chicken and beer, commonly known as chimaek.

Industry observers say the upcoming talks could move beyond AI semiconductor cooperation to include robotics and physical AI, an emerging field focused on integrating AI with real-world machines and systems.

Lee is not expected to be present due to his overseas schedule, sources said.

Naver and Nvidia are said to be in discussions so Hwang can visit Naver 1784, the company's second office building, possibly next Monday, according to sources.

The 28-story building, located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, is considered a test bed for Naver's technologies, including robots, cloud and 5G networks.

AMD's Lisa Su had previously visited the building in March and signed a memorandum of understanding with Naver on AI infrastructure-related partnerships.

Yonhap