Nvidia Strikes $5 Trln Milestone Deal to Deliver 260,000 AI Chips to South Korea’s Tech Giants
US semiconductor giant Nvidia has announced plans to supply more than 260,000 of its most advanced AI chips to the South Korean government and several of the country’s largest conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver.
The deal cements Nvidia’s position at the heart of the global artificial intelligence boom, just days after it became the world’s first $5 trln company. For South Korea, the partnership marks a crucial step in President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to establish the country as a leading AI hub and stimulate growth amid uncertainty caused by US tariffs.
«Just as Korea’s physical factories have inspired the world with their ships, cars and electronics, the nation can now produce intelligence as a new export that will drive global transformation,» Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement.
AI Infrastructure and Industry Collaboration
The announcement followed a high-profile meeting in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the APEC summit, where Huang met President Lee along with the heads of Samsung, SK Group and Hyundai.
Under the deal, South Korea’s government will invest in national AI infrastructure using 50,000 of Nvidia’s latest chips, while Samsung, SK and Hyundai will each deploy up to 50,000 units for projects such as smart factories, semiconductor production, and vehicle manufacturing. Tech giant Naver will purchase 60,000 chips to power cloud computing and AI development.
The government said it 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.
Hyundai Motor Group also announced it would deepen collaboration with Nvidia by building a supercomputer dedicated to autonomous driving, robotics, and in-vehicle AI systems.
Tech Titans Toast the Deal over Fried Chicken and Beer
Before the announcement, Huang made headlines for a more casual engagement, sharing a night of fried chicken and beer with Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai executive chair Chung Eui-sun at Seoul’s popular Kkanbu Chicken restaurant.
The trio, whose combined net worth exceeds $195 bn, drew a crowd as they shared cheese sticks, boneless chicken and soju, linking arms for a toast in a gesture of camaraderie. When Huang rang the restaurant’s «golden bell» to signal payment for all diners, the crowd erupted in cheers, though local reports say Samsung’s Lee picked up the bill, with Hyundai’s Chung covering the next round.
Huang told livestreaming passersby, «I love fried chicken and beer with my friends, so Kkanbu is a perfect place, right?»
The lively scene, coming just before the APEC summit, offered a symbolic glimpse into the growing friendship between Nvidia and South Korea’s tech titans, a partnership that could shape the next phase of the global AI revolution.
