Recently, Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer of OpenAI, emphasized at a press conference held in Seoul that South Korea has ideal conditions for AI innovation and will accelerate development in this field through cooperation.

Kwon pointed out that SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics' leading positions in the memory market provide strong support for AI computing. SK Hynix particularly excels in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a technology that plays a key role in AI computing and data centers. OpenAI hopes to further advance technological progress through collaboration with these two companies.

Notably, OpenAI has significant market potential in South Korea. According to the latest data, South Korea has become one of the fastest-growing markets for OpenAI, especially in terms of the number of ChatGPT subscription users. Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of active ChatGPT users in South Korea has tripled, and the number of paid users has also more than tripled. This indicates that the acceptance and demand for AI technology among South Korean users are rapidly increasing.

At this press conference, Kwon also mentioned that OpenAI will further strengthen its cooperation with the Korean academic community to enhance AI research and development. He revealed that OpenAI will sign a memorandum of understanding with Seoul National University this week, using this opportunity to promote in-depth cooperation in research and technology development between the two parties.

The establishment of an office in South Korea by OpenAI is an important step in its global expansion strategy. This South Korean office is the twelfth office of OpenAI worldwide and the third in Asia, following offices established in Japan and Singapore. By establishing a physical presence in South Korea, OpenAI hopes to better understand and meet local market demands.

OpenAI's collaboration with South Korean technology companies will not only drive the development of AI technology in South Korea but also bring new opportunities to the global AI ecosystem.