South Korean companies flush with cash from the AI boom are making their biggest US investment push in years. Foreign direct investment executed by South Korean groups in the US during the first quarter more than doubled year on year to $10.2bn, the highest in nearly five years, and rose nearly 15 per cent to $25.7bn for all of 2025.

The chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, whose stock value has more than tripled and are expected to post combined record operating profits of about $400bn this year, have been especially acquisitive. Samsung joined a $100mn funding round for AI data‑centre cooling specialist Zuta Core and participated in a $750mn financing for AI chipmaker Groq, while SK Hynix pledged $10bn for “innovative companies in the US” and backed optical interconnect start‑up Avicena.

Bankers say the retreat of Chinese buyers amid US‑China tensions has created a rare opening for Korean firms, which also face pressure to reshore supply chains and secure market access. Deals now span semiconductors, robotics, biotech and shipbuilding, with Hyundai’s purchase of Boston Dynamics and Hanwha’s acquisition of Philly Shipyard among recent moves. Seoul has also agreed to invest $350bn in return for lower tariffs under the Trump administration’s “liberation day” regime.