Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang begins a four-day visit to South Korea on Friday, drawing unprecedented public attention tracked by a dedicated website that has attracted over 80,000 visitors. The visit aims to deepen Nvidia's ties with South Korea as tech supply chains face pressure from the Iran war and the company encounters rising regulatory hurdles in selling to mainland China. Huang told reporters at a Computex dinner in Taipei that "Korea is a critical part of our ecosystem," underscoring South Korea's strategic importance in global semiconductor manufacturing.
'Jensen Huang's Footprints' Website Tracks Four-Day Itinerary
A Korean-language website named "Jensen Huang's Footprints" displays a map and timeline of Huang's expected locations and meetings throughout the visit. The site shows scheduled meals of Korean barbecue and soju drinking sessions, an appearance on popular variety TV show "You Quiz on the Block," and a first pitch at a Doosan Bears baseball game. The website, which has drawn more than 80,000 visitors, also displays share-price movements of companies associated with Nvidia. Potential meal partners include SK Group's Chey Tae-won, LG Group's Koo Kwang-mo, and Naver's Lee Hae-jin. At the baseball game, the chairman of the Doosan conglomerate that owns the Bears is set to join as a batter.
Nvidia Pursues Deeper South Korea Partnerships Amid Supply Chain Shifts
Nvidia is looking to deepen its ties with South Korea as tech supply chains come into focus given the Iran war and as the company faces rising regulatory hurdles in selling to the mainland Chinese market. Huang's itinerary includes meetings with South Korean tech executives on the first day of the annual Computex trade show in Taipei. The visit focuses on strengthening business relationships with major conglomerates in South Korea's semiconductor and technology sectors.
South Korean Chip Stocks Fall as Food Stocks Show Mixed Movement
Shares of South Korea's chip makers slipped on Friday despite excitement over Huang's visit, tracking overnight losses in U.S. chip stocks following Broadcom's downbeat earnings report. Samsung Electronics fell 3.98%, while SK Hynix dropped 7.22%. Shares related to pork belly and Korean soju showed mixed results ahead of Huang's arrival. Agrifood leader Farmsco gained 2.85% and conglomerate CJ CheilJedang lost 0.60%, while alcoholic beverages companies HiteJinro and Lotte Chilsung dropped 3.44% and 0.19%, respectively.
FAQ
What is Jensen Huang doing during his South Korea visit?
Jensen Huang's four-day visit to South Korea starting Friday includes meetings with tech executives from SK Group, LG Group, and Naver, an appearance on variety TV show "You Quiz on the Block," and throwing the first pitch at a Doosan Bears baseball game. A Korean-language website named "Jensen Huang's Footprints" tracks his expected locations and meetings, including scheduled Korean barbecue meals and soju drinking sessions.
Why did South Korean chip stocks fall during Huang's visit?
South Korean chip stocks slipped on Friday despite excitement over Huang's visit, tracking overnight losses in U.S. chip stocks following Broadcom's downbeat earnings report. Samsung Electronics fell 3.98% and SK Hynix dropped 7.22%. Food and beverage stocks showed mixed movement, with Farmsco gaining 2.85% while HiteJinro dropped 3.44%.
Why is Nvidia focusing on South Korea?
Nvidia is looking to deepen its ties with South Korea as tech supply chains come into focus given the Iran war and as the company faces rising regulatory hurdles in selling to the mainland Chinese market. Huang stated at a Computex dinner in Taipei that "Korea is a critical part of our ecosystem," emphasizing South Korea's strategic role in global semiconductor manufacturing.
