The Korea Herald

K-beauty outshines food deals in M&A boom. Beauty-sector mergers in Korea hit $2.32B this year — more than double food & beverage — as investors chase the country’s hottest global export: https://lnkd.in/g6umszjA

Korea enters the global AI big leagues. The government’s deal to secure 260,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — worth up to $10B — will lift its compute power to 3rd in the world, behind only the US and China. A bold step toward AI sovereignty: https://lnkd.in/g5t5Rqbn

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang in Gyeongju: After unveiling a landmark deal to supply 260,000 GPUs to Korea, Huang praised 삼성전자 and SK 하이닉스 as “incredible partners,” reaffirmed Rubin’s 2026 production timeline, and warned it’s “foolish to underestimate” China’s Huawei. Coke, ice cream & Choco Pie kept him fueled throughout the 90-min Q&A: https://lnkd.in/gkCPxTXY

“Someday.” NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says he still hopes to sell Blackwell AI chips to China — though there are no current plans. The US chipmaker’s next-gen lineup remains a central issue in the US-China tech standoff.

When NVIDIA's Jensen Huang met Lee Jae Myung Nvidia to supply 260,000 GPUs to Samsung, SK, Hyundai, Naver and the government — fueling the rise of “physical AI” that links factories, robots and autonomous cars: https://lnkd.in/gshe6-dj

Chimaek diplomacy in Seoul! NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, 삼성전자’s Lee Jae-yong, and Hyundai Motor Group’s Chung Euisun shared fried chicken and beer at a Gangnam eatery last night — drawing crowds and global buzz. Huang, in his signature leather jacket, toasted “to friendship and the future,” even gifting a 25-year Hakushu whisky to his Korean hosts: https://lnkd.in/giRE8ZET

After months of gridlock, Seoul and Washington have finalized details of their long-awaited trade deal — easing tariff tensions and giving Korean automakers a much-needed breather. Hyundai Motor Group welcome the tariff cut from 25% → 15%, while semiconductor talks remain unresolved and questions linger over Seoul’s $200 billion investment plan: https://lnkd.in/gADf9cB8

Australia’s ETF boom goes digital. Mirae Asset Global Investments-backed Global X ETFs Australia chief Alex Zaika, CAIA says research-led innovation and investor education will define the next decade of growth: https://lnkd.in/gVPAcSrd

President Lee’s gold crown gift to Trump sparks heated debate — seen by some as “tone-deaf,” by others as a “masterstroke in diplomacy.” What do you think?: https://lnkd.in/gT6ef8ph

Gist of the $350b Korea–US trade deal, finalized at Wednesday’s summit in Gyeongju, South Korea: Investment: -$200b cash investment (capped at $20b/year) -$150b for shipbuildingcooperation -Flexible payments to reduce FX volatility, focused only on commercially viable, guaranteed-return projects Trade benefits: - US tariffs on Korean cars cut 25% → 15% - MFN status for pharmaceuticals & wood products - Zero tariffs on aircraft parts, generic drugs, and non-US-sourced materials - Semiconductor tariffs aligned with Taiwan - No new concessions on rice or beef Profit-sharing: -Equal (50:50) until principal repaid, adjustable after 20 years In addition, Trump agrees on Korea' need for nuclear-powered submarines