Nvidia, Hyundai in final talks to build AI R&D hub in South Korea: report

Nvidia and Hyundai Motor Group are in the final stage of talks to build a new artificial intelligence research and development hub in South Korea, according to a report by the Korea Economic Daily.

Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang is expected to visit Seoul this week and meet Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung on Friday, giving the talks a sharper sense of timing.

Neither company has officially confirmed the reported plan, but the discussions point to South Korea’s rising role in Nvidia’s regional AI infrastructure map.

From MOU to reality: How this deal took shape

The reported R&D hub appears to build on the wider agreement Nvidia and Hyundai announced in October 2025, when the two companies said they would collaborate with the South Korean government to develop the country’s “physical AI” ecosystem.

Under that plan, Hyundai said it would use 50,000 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs to support AI model training, validation and deployment across in-vehicle AI, autonomous driving, smart factories and robotics.

Nvidia also said the partnership would include an AI Application Center and an AI Technology Center in South Korea.

The new hub is reportedly being considered for Saemangeum, a large government-backed reclamation and industrial development zone on South Korea’s southwest coast.

That detail matters, as Saemangeum is not just an available industrial site; Seoul has been trying to turn the area into a major base for future industries, including AI, robotics, hydrogen, and renewable energy.

For Hyundai, the site already fits into a broader investment push.

Earlier this year, the group was reported to be preparing a multi-billion-dollar investment in the Saemangeum region, including robotics, an AI data centre and hydrogen infrastructure.

Why South Korea, and why now?

For Nvidia, South Korea offers proximity to world-class memory chip suppliers, advanced manufacturing groups and industrial AI customers.

The company already relies heavily on the broader Asian semiconductor supply chain.

Taiwan remains central to Nvidia’s chip manufacturing ecosystem through TSMC, while Singapore has positioned itself as a regional enterprise and data-centre hub.

South Korea could become the third leg of that network, with a clearer focus on physical AI, the use of artificial intelligence in cars, robots, factories and real-world machines.

That is where Hyundai gives Nvidia a practical route into deployment.

The Korean automaker is not just building electric vehicles. It also owns Boston Dynamics, is investing in autonomous driving, and is trying to make its factories smarter and more automated.

Nvidia’s wider Seoul itinerary also suggests this is not a one-company visit.

Huang is expected to meet several Korean business leaders, including executives linked to SK, LG, Naver and Hyundai.

Reuters quoted Jeff Kim, an analyst at KB Securities, as saying: “Jensen’s visit to Korea has a major implication. Nvidia needs Korea.”