Seoul, June 7 - NVIDIA boss Jensen Huang just dropped some big news while visiting South Korea: the global shortage of memory chips isn't going away anytime soon - it's likely to continue for several years.
Huang was in Seoul for a relaxed "Kkanbu" get-together at a famous fried chicken spot in Samseong-dong. He grabbed beers and fried chicken with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and other top SK executives, including SK Hynix's CEO. It was a casual, friendly atmosphere - they even did the traditional "cross-cup" toast.
While talking to reporters, Huang said their partnership with SK covers a wide range of areas, including AI supercomputers, CPUs, new-generation PCs, and robotics. He mentioned that they're finalizing the details and plan to officially announce the "SK-NVIDIA" cooperation plan on Monday, June 8.
NVIDIA to Build R&D Center in Korea
One of the biggest takeaways is that NVIDIA will set up a new research and development center in South Korea. Huang confirmed they've already started hiring talent and will keep expanding the team.
He explained that Korea's strengths in AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing made it a natural choice. The company wants to work even more closely with Korean giants like Samsung, SK, Hyundai, and LG on AI supply chains, robotics, and physical AI.
Strong Demand and Good News for Korean Chipmakers
Huang pointed out that the whole semiconductor supply chain - from wafers to packaging and silicon photonics - is still struggling to keep up because demand remains extremely high.
This visit comes at a great time for Korean chipmakers. Just days ago, NVIDIA announced that Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have all been approved to supply the advanced HBM memory for its next-generation Vera Rubin platform. SK Hynix, in particular, has been riding high - its market value recently crossed the $1 trillion mark.
Huang also mentioned he's looking forward to meeting Samsung executives during this trip and that he recently had a nice dinner with Samsung's Lee Jae-yong in California.
Bullish Outlook for NVIDIA
On the business side, NVIDIA's CFO recently said the company's total addressable market could roughly double as new chip platforms roll out. Wall Street analysts are feeling optimistic too - Bank of America kept its "Buy" rating and set a $350 price target, suggesting plenty of upside ahead.
Overall, Huang's trip to Korea is full of positive signals for the AI and semiconductor industry. It looks like strong cooperation between NVIDIA and Korean companies is set to deepen even further.
