Top leadership from Samsung Hyundai alliance and Hyundai Motor Group have joined forces in a strategic partnership aimed at dominating the future of robotics and physical artificial intelligence. Moving beyond the traditional relationship of parts suppliers and automakers, this collaboration marks a critical maneuver to secure global supremacy in next-generation advanced mobility and information technology ecosystems.
Strategic Gathering of 177 Executives
Samsung hosted the ‘HMG Appreciation Day’ at the Samsung Electronics Seocheon Training Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. A total of 177 participants, including key executives, corporate officers, and their spouses from both groups, attended the event for networking, cultural performances, and a celebratory dinner. This marks the first time Samsung has hosted such a large-scale invitation event dedicated to a major South Korean corporate group.
The gathering brought together the highest echelons of leadership from both sides. Samsung was represented by Jeon Young-hyun, Vice Chairman and Head of the Device Solutions (DS) Division; Roh Tae-moon, President and Head of the Device Experience (DX) Division; Christian Sobotta, President of Samsung Harman; Lee Chung, President of Samsung Display; Choi Joo-sun, President of Samsung SDI; and Chang Duk-hyun, President of Samsung Electro-Mechanics.
Hyundai Motor Group counterparts included Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chairman; Seo Gang-hyun, President of Corporate Planning; Manfred Harrer, Head of R&D; Lee Kyu-bok, President of Hyundai Glovis; and Lee Bo-ryong, President of Hyundai Steel. Operating under the banner of ‘One Harmony,’ the leadership teams gathered for preliminary talks and toured Samsungβs future mobility exhibition space to discuss prospective technological collaborations.
Three Generations of Strategic Partnership
The close ties between South Korea’s two industrial giants trace back across three generations of founding and leadership families. In 1985, Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull attended the seventieth birthday celebration of Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung despite fighting illness, presenting him with a hand-selected white porcelain jar as a gesture of deep respect. In 2001, the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee and Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo held a private summit at Seungjiwon, setting the stage for broader cross-industry cooperation.
Today, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair μ μμ have elevated this long-standing cooperation into a high-level strategic partnership tailored for the future mobility era. The two leaders previously met in 2020 at the Samsung SDI Cheonan plant and the Hyundai-Kia Namyang Research Institute to discuss next-generation electric vehicle battery collaboration, subsequently culminating in an official supply contract in 2023.
Pioneering the Future of Physical AI
Looking ahead, both conglomerates are expected to maximize synergies within the physical AI sector. Often described as ‘smartphones on wheels,’ modern vehicles require world-class semiconductors, telecommunications, and advanced display componentsβareas where Samsung holds global leadership. Conversely, for Samsung seeking new growth engines beyond consumer electronics and mobile devices, partnering with Hyundai, the world’s third-largest automaker, provides an invaluable proving ground and steady client base.
Industry experts note that Samsung’s hosting of this grand-scale exchange underscores its aggressive commitment to expanding its footprint in the automotive electronics and mobility sectors, ensuring long-term growth through collaboration with a global automotive powerhouse.
