Why Nvidia is betting on Korea for physical AI

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Seoul for a six-day visit aimed at strengthening South Korea’s role in physical AI, with robotics and digital twins as top priorities. Huang emphasized the importance of robotics to Korea during a pre-visit event, noting the country’s strong ecosystem and technical expertise. His itinerary includes meetings with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, and Naver founder Lee Hae-jin, along with LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Doosan Group executives. South Korea is positioning itself as a leader in physical AI—AI systems capable of real-world interaction through perception, reasoning, and action—leveraging its high industrial robot density (1,220 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees) and decades of precision engineering in automotive and electronics. The country’s robotics value chain, from high-bandwidth memory chips to battery technology, supports its push into autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, and smart factories. Huang’s visit follows a seven-month gap since his last trip, signaling Nvidia’s deepening reliance on Korea beyond memory chips. Discussions with Hyundai will focus on robotics, autonomous driving, and AI-powered factories, building on collaborations with Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot. LG’s CLOiD home robot, powered by Nvidia’s Jetson Thor chipset and Isaac platform, is expected to feature prominently in talks with Koo Kwang-mo. Naver aims to expand its Nvidia partnership into physical AI and sovereign AI infrastructure, scaling from its previous GPU acquisitions. Doosan Group and NC Software are also on the agenda, with potential collaborations in industrial robots and smart factories. Nvidia’s ecosystem—including its GR00T humanoid robot and Cosmos physics model—aligns with Korea’s manufacturing strengths, offering real-world applications for AI-driven automation. Industry analysts, like KB Securities’ Kim Dong-won, view Huang’s frequent visits as a strategic move to solidify Korea’s role in Nvidia’s global physical AI ambitions.