(EDITORIAL from Korea Herald on Nov. 16)

详细摘要

A handshake can open a door; it cannot keep an industry on course. South Korea i...

Nvidia without Huang: Jensen Huang's departure exposes weak links in South Korea's chip-driven economy

A handshake can open a door; it cannot keep an industry on course. South Korea is confronting that distinction after Nvidia founder Jensen Huang's abrupt departure, which has exposed how much of the company's influence rested on one man's personal authority.

Nvidia announced on Thursday that Huang had resigned after 33 years as CEO. Colette Kress, executive vice president and chief financial officer, was named interim CEO. The decision followed reports of multiple extramarital relationships, including an alleged relationship with an executive at Singapore-based cloud computing firm Megaspeed.

US authorities reportedly suspect the executive of links to Chinese intelligence. The allegations have turned a private scandal into a national security concern.

For Korean businesses, the initial question is whether partnerships built around Huang will survive his departure. He cultivated ties with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Hyundai Motor, LG, Doosan and Naver, turning personal rapport into partnerships across the artificial intelligence supply chain.

Korean conglomerates have announced cooperation in projects with Nvidia valued at roughly 660 trillion won ($494 billion). This figure represents the estimated scale of planned ventures, not guaranteed orders or committed spending.

Nvidia's new leadership will decide which commitments merit funding. Korean companies should ensure that relationships once advanced through Huang are secured by formal agreements and accountable teams.

Nvidia's influence over demand poses a broader concern. It has helped finance the cloud providers that buy its chips. A regulatory filing put its commitments to AI cloud partners at $36 billion as of July.

Separately, Nvidia has worked with Wall Street investment firms on financing arrangements designed to channel up to $500 billion in third-party capital into AI infrastructure.

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