Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to explore expanding their partnership in artificial intelligence (AI), as South Korea aims to establish itself as a leading AI hub in Asia. The meeting followed Altman’s separate discussions with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, during which OpenAI signed letters of intent (LOIs) with the two conglomerates concerning memory chip supply for its flagship “Stargate” AI infrastructure project.
According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee expressed optimism about OpenAI’s agreements with Samsung and SK hynix, the world’s largest memory chip manufacturers, describing the collaboration as “mutually beneficial.” Lee emphasized the importance of semiconductors for operating data centers and expressed hope that the partnership would bolster Korean exports and job creation. He envisioned Samsung and SK playing a pivotal role in the global AI distribution alongside OpenAI.
Samsung’s LOI with OpenAI includes cooperation on chips, data centers, and cloud computing related to the Stargate project. Meanwhile, SK announced a separate LOI on memory chip supply and an additional memorandum of understanding (MOU) to construct a new AI data center in southwestern Korea. President Lee also conveyed aspirations for broader collaboration with OpenAI to enhance AI infrastructure and achieve his administration’s aim of positioning Korea among the top three AI powerhouses worldwide.
Earlier that day, the Ministry of Science and ICT signed an MOU with OpenAI for extensive cooperation in the AI sector. President Lee anticipated significant advancements in the nation’s AI ecosystem through the collaboration between the Korean government and OpenAI.
Altman expressed enthusiasm for the partnerships with Samsung, SK, and the Korean government, highlighting plans to build Stargate Korea and data centers to support Korea’s sovereign AI needs. He praised Korea’s industrial base as essential for AI development and described the country’s AI transformation across sectors as “remarkable.” Altman expressed excitement about partnering with Korea to develop AI’s potential for global benefit.
President Lee has committed to enhancing support for AI infrastructure as a new growth engine and has called for global efforts towards “AI for all” and “inclusive, human-centric AI.” During his recent visit to New York, Lee met with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to discuss AI and renewable energy cooperation, resulting in an agreement to build AI data centers under Seoul’s vision of becoming Asia’s AI hub.