AMD CEO Lisa Su heads back to Seoul for talks with Samsung’s chip chief
Su's second South Korea trip in seven months targets HBM4 supply, next-generation DDR5, and possible foundry work with Samsung
AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su is set to visit South Korea on October 6-7, 2026. Her agenda includes a meeting with Jun Young-hyun, the Vice Chairman who runs Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor business.
It is her second trip to the country within seven months.
What’s on the table in Seoul
The centerpiece is memory. Specifically, it is HBM4, the sixth generation of high-bandwidth memory.
Su’s previous visit, in March 2026, produced a memorandum of understanding. That MOU named Samsung as a preferred supplier of HBM4 for AMD’s Instinct MI455X AI accelerators.
The supply chain is already moving. Samsung has started shipping HBM4 to AMD in 2026, after earlier supplying HBM3E for the MI350X and MI355X accelerators.
The October agenda reportedly reaches beyond HBM4. Discussions are expected to cover next-generation DDR5 memory for AMD’s EPYC server processors.
The two sides are also expected to explore foundry cooperation for upcoming AMD products. Foundry work means Samsung would physically manufacture chips that AMD designs.
The March talks remained high-level and non-binding. This trip is expected to culminate in concrete agreements.
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A busy two days beyond Samsung
Samsung is not the only stop. Su is also scheduled to hold roundtable discussions with several Korean AI semiconductor firms, including Rebellions and FuriosaAI.
Su is also slated to meet government officials to discuss global expansion and ecosystem cooperation. Her schedule includes AMD Gamer Day events as well.
The March visit had its own high-profile moment. Su met Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong, and the discussions highlighted a partnership on AI memory and computing technologies.
Nearly two decades in the making
AMD and Samsung are not new acquaintances. Their strategic collaboration has run for nearly 20 years.
Demand for advanced AI memory and computing technology is outpacing current supply capabilities.
What this means for AMD, Samsung and the AI chip race
For AMD, the company competes with rivals such as Nvidia in AI accelerators, and memory supply is a bottleneck for everyone. Locking in a dependable HBM4 source for the MI455X could help AMD keep pace as customers scale up AI infrastructure.
The potential foundry discussions are worth watching closely. If AMD were to shift some manufacturing of future products to Samsung, it would diversify where its chips get made. Nothing is confirmed on that front.
The DDR5 thread deserves attention too. AI accelerators grab headlines, but EPYC server processors are a major AMD business in their own right. Coordinating on next-generation DDR5 suggests the partnership is meant to cover the whole data center, not only the flashiest corner of it.
There are open questions. The scope of any HBM4 volumes, the specifics of DDR5 cooperation and whether foundry talks produce anything tangible will determine whether this trip is a step change or another round of diplomacy.
Look for any announcement that converts the March MOU into firm supply terms. Look for details on foundry cooperation. And look for follow-up from the Korean AI chip roundtables with Rebellions and FuriosaAI.