Story perspectives

South Korea Unveils $950B AI Drive with Samsung, SK, Nvidia

7/25/2026

Summary

South Korea Launches AI

South Korea announced $950 billion AI initiatives involving Samsung, SK Group and U.S. firms.
SK Group signed $750 billion of deals, including a $500 billion partnership between SK Hynix and Nvidia for AI data centres.
Samsung signed an MOU with Broadcom for up to $200 billion in memory chips and advanced packaging.
SK Telecom will build a 2-GW data centre using Vera Rubin chips and SK Hynix HBM4 memory, scheduled for completion in 2027.

Summary

QSM Semiconductors Opens

QSM Semiconductors will open a legacy-node chip plant in Queretaro in September 2026, Mexico’s first.
Mexico drew US$23.591 billion in Q1 2026 foreign direct investment, a 10.4% YoY rise from electronics and advanced-technology firms.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to boost U.S. memory-chip output.
President Lee Jae Myung will issue a “San Francisco AI Declaration” promising South Korea as a reliable AI-infrastructure supplier.

History

Historical Context

The 1997 Asian financial crisis hit South Korea hard, prompting a $58.4 billion IMF bailout and sweeping reforms that lifted foreign ownership limits and closed insolvent banks. Those liberalizations, combined with the country’s 8.4% average growth from 1970-1996, paved the way for later high-tech partnerships and today’s AI-focused export strategies global investment.

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South Korea Launches AI

South Korea announced $950 billion AI initiatives involving Samsung, SK Group and U.S. firms.
SK Group signed $750 billion of deals, including a $500 billion partnership between SK Hynix and Nvidia for AI data centres.
Samsung signed an MOU with Broadcom for up to $200 billion in memory chips and advanced packaging.
SK Telecom will build a 2-GW data centre using Vera Rubin chips and SK Hynix HBM4 memory, scheduled for completion in 2027.

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