US partnerships critical to South Korea’s tech sector growth
As a venture capitalist based in Silicon Valley, I work with frontier technologies and the teams building them around the world. On a recent trip to Korea, I saw a surge in the number of companies and investors looking…
Source: Korea Times · October 11, 2026 at 5:02 AM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 11 OCTOBER 2026 —
South Korea’s Tech Ambitions Hinge on Closing U.S. Influence Gap as AI Race Intensifies
Market Impact
Silicon Valley venture capitalist Weston Moyer, co-founder of MVP Ventures, has observed a dramatic shift in South Korea’s tech sector over the past five years—from tentative interest in U.S. partnerships to an urgent push for deeper integration, as Korean firms scramble to secure a foothold in the global AI and frontier technology race. Yet despite decades of dominance in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and defense tech, Korea’s influence within the U.S.
innovation ecosystem remains disproportionately low, threatening its ability to shape the next wave of technological leadership.
The stakes could not be higher. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries at breakneck speed, and proximity to the innovation hubs where AI is being developed—Silicon Valley chief among them—will determine which nations and companies capture the most value. Moyer’s recent engagements with Korean firms and investors reveal a critical realization: the question is no longer whether to engage with the U.S. tech ecosystem, but how aggressively to do so.
While Korea possesses the technical prowess, industrial expertise, and capital to compete, its lack of embedded influence in U.S. venture circles risks leaving it on the sidelines as AI and adjacent technologies redefine global competitiveness.
Moyer’s observations, shared exclusively with The Korea Times, underscore a seismic shift in Korean tech strategy. During his first visit to Korea five years ago, only two of the seven groups he met expressed serious interest in U.S. venture capital. On his most recent trip, nearly every one of the 20 Korean companies and investors he engaged with—including heavyweights like GS Group—demonstrated a laser focus on U.S. innovation trends, data center infrastructure, and emerging technologies.
GS Futures, the venture arm of GS Group, which already operates in Silicon Valley, dedicated significant time to discussions on U.S. venture developments, signaling a broader corporate push to bridge the gap.
The urgency stems from Korea’s uneven standing in the global tech hierarchy. While Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have cemented the country’s indispensable role in semiconductors, and Korean firms are increasingly pivotal in data centers, defense tech, and advanced manufacturing, the U.S. ecosystem still underestimates Korea’s capabilities. This disconnect creates both a challenge and an opportunity: institutions that can close the influence gap will gain a strategic edge in accessing cutting-edge technologies, markets, and talent.
Partnerships are already forming, but they remain fragmented. Anduril, a U.S. defense tech firm, has partnered with Hyundai Heavy Industries, while Saronic, another U.S. startup, has aligned with Samsung Heavy Industries. Meanwhile, Korean conglomerates like Hanwha and Samsung Ventures have invested in MVP Ventures’ portfolio companies, illustrating the mutual benefits of cross-border collaboration. These alliances provide U.S.
startups with access to Korean industrial expertise, manufacturing capabilities, and Asian markets, while Korean firms gain direct exposure to the next generation of U.S. technologies.
Yet Moyer warns that Korea cannot afford to remain a passive partner. The model of Israeli tech firms—building for global markets rather than being constrained by domestic scale—offers a blueprint. During his recent trip, Moyer evaluated a dozen Korean startups that are attempting to replicate this approach, pairing technical talent in Korea with ambitions to scale in the U.S. and beyond. Institutions like Samyang Chemical Group are expanding access to U.S.
venture capital among Korean families and corporations, while Smilegate, Shift Up, and Shinhan Ventures are deepening their U.S. ties. However, the breadth of ambition must now translate into swift, decisive action.
The window for Korea to assert itself in the AI-driven tech cycle is open, but it will not remain so indefinitely. Moyer’s call to action centers on three critical moves: embedding more Korean talent and institutions within the U.S. innovation ecosystem, empowering decision-makers to act with speed, and fostering a culture among Korean founders to build for global markets from day one.
The institutions that execute these strategies will not only gain access to where technology is headed—they will help steer its direction.
For Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region, the implications are clear. As Korea’s tech ambitions intersect with U.S. innovation, the ripple effects could reshape supply chains, investment flows, and regional competitiveness. Malaysian firms, particularly in semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, and emerging tech sectors, may find new opportunities in collaborating with Korean and U.S. partners—whether through joint ventures, talent exchanges, or shared R&D initiatives.
The race to influence the AI ecosystem is a global one, and Korea’s push to close its U.S. influence gap could accelerate a wave of cross-border tech collaboration that extends well beyond its borders.
Related: Weston Moyer