Nvidia has dramatically expanded its footprint in South Korea, sealing a series of high-stakes deals that underscore the country's pivotal role in the next wave of artificial intelligence. During CEO Jensen Huang’s visit to Seoul, Nvidia entered into agreements with SK Hynix, SK Telecom, Naver, Doosan Group, and LG Group – moves that come even as South Korean markets endured one of their worst single-day routs, with the KOSPI index plunging more than 8%.
The centerpiece is a multi-year technology partnership with memory giant SK Hynix, Nvidia’s largest supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Huang revealed that Nvidia already spends “billions of dollars” annually with SK Hynix, a figure he said would grow substantially. The deal aims to develop advanced memory for global AI data centers, reinforcing that memory chips are no longer a commodity but a customer-specific component vital for AI workloads. Ryu Young-ho of NH Investment & Securities said the collaboration confirms memory’s evolution into a more tailored, high-value business.
SK Telecom and Naver, meanwhile, are spearheading Nvidia’s AI infrastructure ambitions. SK Telecom plans to build a gigawatt-scale AI cloud in Korea using Nvidia’s DSX platform, with the first AI factory slated to go live in 2027. The facility will handle training, inference, and agentic AI workloads, supporting enterprises and sovereign AI services. It may later expand across Asia. Naver is set to leverage Nvidia technology to scale its Gak Sejong data center, starting with 55 megawatts by early 2027 and targeting gigawatt-scale capacity overseas. Naver will also join Nvidia’s Nemotron Alliance to enhance its HyperCLOVA X large language model.
Beyond memory and cloud, Nvidia is teaming with LG Group on humanoid robots and next-gen data-center architecture, including motor technology and cooling systems. Doosan, a key industrial player, will supply materials for Nvidia’s high-performance Blackwell chips, tying it directly to the physical AI hardware supply chain. Huang described robotics as a potential major growth area for Korea, given its manufacturing and electronics strength.
Despite the positive announcements, NVDA stock initially fell 6.20% during the regular session, closing at $205.10, before rebounding 1.50% overnight to $208.17. The modest bounce reflects broader investor caution around stretched AI valuations and the global tech selloff. Nevertheless, the partnerships deliver a concrete, timeline-driven catalyst for Nvidia’s AI business, with the 2027 AI factory launch providing a clear commercial target.
