Korea, tech giants form GPU task force to push massive Nvidia buy

South Korea has launched a high-level working group with its top tech conglomerates to coordinate one of Asia’s most ambitious artificial intelligence infrastructure expansions — the joint procurement of 260,000 advanced Nvidia graphics processing units.

The Science and ICT Ministry said Thursday that Vice Minister Ryu Je-myung convened executives from Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK Telecom and Naver to formally kick off the “GPU Working Group,” which will oversee large-scale procurement, deployment and long-term AI capability building.

The meeting marks the government’s first follow-up to President Lee Jae Myung’s discussion with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and the chiefs of four Korean tech giants at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, some four weeks ago.

Under the plan, the government aims to acquire 50,000 GPUs, while the four companies will jointly secure an additional 210,000 units — a combined target that positions Korea for one of the region’s largest AI compute expansions, the ministry said.

“The launch of the GPU Working Group is a direct follow-up to President Lee’s engagements with Nvidia and global AI firms at APEC,” Ryu said. “Securing cutting-edge, large-scale GPUs — the essential infrastructure of the AI era — signals Korea’s shift into a phase of practical cooperation aimed at delivering tangible results.”

Ryu stressed that the government and industry would operate as “one team” to build an AI ecosystem capable of elevating Korea into the ranks of global AI powerhouses.

The task force will draw up implementation roadmaps, share procurement strategies and outline medium- and long-term measures to strengthen the country’s AI competitiveness. It will be led by the ministry’s AI Infrastructure Bureau and is expected to meet frequently, with senior-level sessions held when strategic decisions are needed.

Executives at Thursday’s meeting included Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President Song Yong-ho, Hyundai Motor Executive Vice President Jin Eun-sook, SKT AI CIC head Yu Kyung-sang and Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yu-won.

The participants also discussed cooperation models to reinforce the domestic AI ecosystem, including support measures the government may develop based on industry feedback.

The GPU procurement plan was first announced on Oct. 31, when the government and companies agreed to secure 260,000 units. The chips will underpin the construction of “AI factories,” or hyperscale data centers designed to embed AI across manufacturing, logistics, robotics and mobility.

President Lee has framed the initiative as central to Korea’s broader ambition. “South Korea’s goal is to become the epicenter of AI in the Asia-Pacific region,” he told Huang at the APEC meeting. “We look forward to Nvidia’s partnership in building an AI ecosystem where infrastructure, technology and investment move in a virtuous cycle.”

Huang, in a separate briefing, reaffirmed Nvidia’s support, calling Korea uniquely positioned to emerge as a global AI hub. “There’s no question in my mind that Korea will build many more AI factories here,” he said.

Their partnership drew public attention a day earlier, when Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai’s Chung Euisun joined Huang in Seoul for a casual “chicken and beer” outing, spotlighting their “Kkanbu,” or close-friend, camaraderie before making a surprise joint appearance at Nvidia’s GeForce Gamer Festival at Coex in southern Seoul.