Jensen Huang to Visit LG, Seoul National University, Hyundai Motor, Naver on Final Seoul Day

Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang will spend the final day of his South Korea trip on June 8 meeting major Korean companies, a university and AI startups to discuss broader cooperation.

According to industry officials, Huang will start the day at LG Twin Towers in Seoul's Yeouido district, then visit Seoul National University, Hyundai Motor Group's headquarters in Yangjae and Naver's 1784 building in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The talks are set to focus on cooperation in AI infrastructure, robotics, physical AI, cloud computing and digital twins.

Discussions with LG Group are expected to center on robotics, manufacturing AI and AI data-center infrastructure. LG Electronics has declared this year the starting point for a full-scale push into robotics and unveiled its actuator brand, LG Actuator Axium. The company is also strengthening its industrial capabilities through Bear Robotics, the autonomous robotics company it acquired last year, and affiliate Robostar. It has also built a foothold for technology cooperation through an equity investment in Chinese humanoid robot company AgiBot.

AI data-center businesses, including cooling solutions and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, are also likely to be a key area of cooperation between LG Electronics and Nvidia. Other LG affiliates, including LG AI Research, LG Innotek and LG Uplus, are also expected to seek synergies with Nvidia in AI models, components and cloud services.

At Seoul National University, Huang plans to tour an AI research center and a robotics institute while exploring potential cooperation in physical AI, including robot control technology. He also told the university in advance that he wanted to speak directly with students. Professors from the institutes are expected to join the visit and demonstrate major research achievements.

At Hyundai Motor Group's Yangjae headquarters, Huang is expected to meet Executive Chair Euisun Chung to discuss ways to commercialize Atlas, the humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, as well as cooperation in autonomous-driving-based smart mobility.

Hyundai Motor Group is deploying 50,000 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs to develop AI models for autonomous vehicles, smart factories and robotics. The two companies have also agreed to jointly invest $3 billion in South Korea's physical AI sector.

At Naver's second headquarters, 1784, the sides are expected to discuss cooperation in sovereign AI, cloud computing, robotics and digital twins. Naver is strengthening its AI and deep-tech capabilities through its HyperCLOVA X model as well as cloud, robotics and spatial intelligence technologies. The 1784 building is considered a showcase for future technologies, including robots, digital twins and a dedicated 5G network.

Huang is also scheduled to meet later on June 8 with officials from Korean AI startups, including Upstage, at the Yeongbin Gwan guest house of the Shilla Hotel in Seoul's Jangchung-dong. Before the session, he plans to deliver brief remarks and take questions at about 6:50 p.m. The discussion is expected to cover generative AI, sovereign AI, AI semiconductor infrastructure, global expansion and cooperation across the startup ecosystem.

Huang is expected to leave South Korea either late on June 8 or on the morning of June 9 via Gimpo Airport.

Shin Yong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter yonghyun@hankyung.com