NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang has been making waves during his visit to South Korea for the APEC summit. While his trip initially centered around delivering a significant keynote at GTC 2025, Huang made headlines for his engaging interactions with key industry leaders and a little off-the-clock enjoyment.
Jensen Huang’s Eventful South Korean Excursion
This week has been a whirlwind for Jensen Huang, who, right after his impactful GTC 2025 keynote, jetted off to South Korea for the APEC summit. There, he caught up with Samsung’s Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motors’ President Chung Eui-sun. A notable moment from his visit was when Jensen was seen serving Korean fried chicken and taking shots at a local eatery, showcasing his charismatic side.
The APEC summit, a significant event for global business leaders, also served as the backdrop for the much-anticipated Trump-Xi meeting. Huang’s arrival from Washington was part of his support for the American delegation. However, amidst his professional commitments, he was seen engaging with the public, amidst discussions about NVIDIA’s impressive $5 trillion market valuation.
Strengthening Ties with Samsung
NVIDIA’s relationship with Samsung has been evolving, and recent collaborations have only reinforced their partnership. The Korean tech giant recently secured a crucial HBM3E certification from NVIDIA, signaling deeper collaboration ahead. Samsung Foundry’s inclusion in NVIDIA’s NVLink ecosystem alongside Intel highlights Jensen Huang’s strategic focus on Samsung, with speculation about a massive partnership in the works.
As the importance of the HBM segment grows, Samsung is poised to become a crucial part of NVIDIA’s AI supply chain, extending beyond DRAM to include semiconductors.