![Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang signs a 14-inch OLED laptop panel made by Samsung Display during a visit to the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan. [Samsung Display]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/05/news-p.v1.20260605.09f62b1ecd48446f91b03a724ea1b549_P1.png)
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's visit to South Korea is expected to cement Korean semiconductor and manufacturing companies in an unrivaled position within the global physical AI supply chain, analysts said.
Speaking on CBS Radio's "Park Sung-tae's News Show" on Friday, Park Jung-ho, a special professor at Myongji University's Graduate School of Industry, said South Korea is the only country that can serve as a partner nation for building a physical AI ecosystem. "China is off the table, and Germany and Japan lack the capacity to support semiconductors like HBM," Park said. "South Korea is the only country with both the semiconductor and battery ecosystems in place."
Park also said Nvidia's decision to concentrate the supply of 260,000 GPUs to South Korea during last year's meeting signaled that the company already anticipated a deeper partnership. "The fact that additional expansion talks are taking place means South Korea's role as a hub in the AI sector is being further consolidated," he said.
Huang is scheduled to meet SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Naver founder Lee Hae-jin for an informal dinner of samgyeopsal — grilled pork belly — and soju at a restaurant in Seoul on Friday evening, in what has been dubbed the "samso meeting."
Comparing the gathering to last year's meeting, Park said top executives do not convene unless tangible results are within reach. "This meeting will have been in preparation behind the scenes for two or three months," he said.
Park also outlined the expected role of each company. SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics were identified as HBM suppliers, while Doosan Robotics was cited as a key partner in industrial robotics. LG Electronics was mentioned as a supplier of materials and components related to home robots and physical AI.
![A Boston Dynamics researcher trains the Atlas robot in soccer skills. [Hyundai Motor]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/05/news-p.v1.20260605.05923460d7d04a84bca870399c6d15e4_P1.jpg)
Park singled out Hyundai Motor as the most critical partner, saying no other company in the world matches its mass-production capability to rival Tesla's Optimus robot. "It also has Boston Dynamics, a well-built robotics subsidiary," he added.
He interpreted Huang's planned appearance at a robotics startup event at Hotel Shilla as a talent-scouting mission. "Jensen Huang is coming as if he were Bang Si-hyuk looking for the next BTS," Park said. "It reflects his intent to establish a physical AI ecosystem in South Korea."
Park also noted that the pace of AI development is outrunning the industry's ability to absorb it. "LLM-based AI has not even fully taken off, yet physical AI and AI agents are already breaking through one after another," he said. "We need to remember that in this era, humans will not be the only ones doing the work."
During his four-day, three-night stay in South Korea, Huang's schedule includes the "samso meeting," a series of meetings with game industry CEOs, AI and robotics startups, and students at Seoul National University, as well as a ceremonial first pitch at a professional baseball game and an appearance on a television entertainment program.
dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com
