NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has returned to South Korea after a seven-month absence, dismissing rumors of reduced HBM usage in its systems and confirming that three memory suppliers supporting the Vera Rubin architecture have passed certification and entered mass production. He stated that South Korea's expertise in mechatronics and semiconductors provides the ideal foundation for robotics and physical AI, positioning this technology as the nation's next core industry. He also hinted that his visit would bring "significant business and surprises."

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has positioned robotics as South Korea's next core industry during his latest visit, emphasizing the accelerated pace of AI infrastructure development. He noted that the scale in the second half of 2026 will far exceed that of the first half, with 2027 set for even more substantial growth.

Upon arriving at Seoul's Gimpo International Airport from Taiwan on Friday, Huang told media that his schedule includes meetings with Hyundai Motor, LG, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and Naver. The core purpose is to ensure supply chain partners "stay in sync and are fully prepared." He described himself as bringing "enormous business" to South Korea and hinted at additional "surprises" yet to be revealed, declining to provide specifics.

Addressing a key market concern regarding memory supply, Huang refuted rumors that NVIDIA is reducing high-bandwidth memory (HBM) usage in its systems due to tight supply, explicitly stating the company will use "a lot of high-speed memory." This statement is directly positive for key suppliers like Samsung and SK Hynix, which together provide approximately 70% of the memory for NVIDIA's AI chips.

This visit also signals that NVIDIA's engagement in South Korea is expanding beyond chip procurement into research and development and physical AI. NVIDIA has begun hiring for a South Korean R&D center and plans to establish a local campus once a certain scale is reached, further deepening collaboration in robotics and AI factory technology.

Supply Chain Coordination

Huang characterized the trip as a supply chain coordination mission. He noted that last year was extremely important for NVIDIA, with the South Korean market performing exceptionally well. In the first half of this year, the Grace Blackwell system has delivered strong results, and the Vera Rubin architecture is in full production.

"The scale in the second half of this year will be much larger than the first half, and next year's scale will be very, very large," he said. "So, I want to make sure our partners are in sync and fully prepared." Key discussion topics include coordinating the supply of critical components like DRAM and HBM memory chips to support the ongoing expansion of AI infrastructure.

Dismissing HBM Reduction Rumors

In response to market speculation that NVIDIA is cutting HBM capacity in its systems due to memory shortages, Huang directly denied the claims. "We will use a lot of high-speed memory," he said. "Of course, supply is constrained right now. So, we have to be much more scientific and intelligent about how we use memory in all of our systems." He stated the company will continue to work closely with local partners to maximize supply while using resources efficiently.

Regarding supplier progress, Huang confirmed that all three memory suppliers supporting the Vera Rubin architecture have qualified and are in mass production, "all racing to support our Vera Rubin architecture." Both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are among the three, collectively supply about 70% of the memory for NVIDIA's AI chips.

Robotics and Physical AI: A New Frontier for Korean Manufacturing

Huang highlighted robotics as the most noteworthy area for South Korean investors. He pointed out that South Korea's deep expertise in mechatronics manufacturing, semiconductors, and AI creates the "perfect soil" for the development of the robotics industry.

"Because South Korea is a global manufacturing hub, we can apply the robotics and physical AI technologies developed here directly to local industry," he said. "Future semiconductor manufacturing will increasingly rely on robotics and AI, so we also have a great opportunity to work with Korean semiconductor companies."

Analysts note that South Korea's manufacturing prowess positions it favorably in the field of physical AI—technology that will be embedded in robots, cars, and factories.

Huang's itinerary also drew attention. His first stop after arrival was a Seoul PC cafe to meet with esports players, including gaming star Lee Sang-hyeok ("Faker"), accompanied by his daughter Madison Huang, who wore a jersey of the famous T1 esports team. During the visit, he is also scheduled to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game and appear on a television talk show.