South Korean tech stocks surge on Nvidia visit expectations

Shares in major South Korean technology companies surged to record highs on Monday, driven by anticipation of meetings between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and the nation's top executives. The rally was further supported by a breakthrough in advanced memory chip technology and the resolution of a major labor dispute at Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Electronics shares closed 10.1% higher at an unprecedented level, while LG Electronics hit its daily upper trading limit of 29.9% for a second consecutive session, also reaching an all-time high. Internet firm Naver rose 16%. The gains followed reports that Huang is expected to visit Seoul later this week for discussions with leaders including LG Group Chairman Koo Kwangmo, SK Group Chairman Chey Taewon, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, and Naver founder Lee Haejin. A person with knowledge of the matter confirmed the planned visit, though Nvidia has not made an official announcement.

Analysts said the market reaction reflects high expectations for deeper collaboration in artificial intelligence, robotics, smart factories, and data centers. Huang's visit would be his first to South Korea in roughly seven months. Jeff Kim, an...