Coupang Invests 120 Billion Won in AI Startups, Expanding into Robotics and Sovereign AI

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is an 'AI-based personalized news recommendation and summarization service' developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It selects and provides six customized news items for each reader type.

1. Samsung SDS Raises 1.2 Trillion Won... Signal for AI and M&A Expansion

- Key Summary: Samsung SDS issued 1.2 trillion won ($820 million) in convertible bonds from global private equity fund KKR, marking the first case of private equity investment in a Korean company of this type. The agreement restricts transfer of the CB and converted shares for six years until 2032, reflecting a long-term strategic cooperation structure. KKR will serve as Samsung SDS's long-term advisor on M&A, capital utilization, and global growth opportunities. With total funds of 7.6 trillion won secured, Samsung SDS is actively reviewing acquisitions of global companies in AI and physical AI sectors. As LG CNS (064400.KS) has also committed 340 billion won of its IPO proceeds of 593.8 billion won to M&A, competition among Korean system integration (SI) companies is expected to intensify.

2. K-Quantum Technology Narrows Gap with Nvidia's Open-Source AI Model

- Key Summary: As Nvidia unveiled 'Ising,' the world's first quantum-dedicated open-source AI model, to build a quantum computing ecosystem, Korean quantum startups are accelerating their technology catch-up efforts. Korean startup SDT, participating as an Nvidia partner, unveiled its independently developed quantum control equipment at 'GTC 2026.' SDT CEO Yoon Ji-won predicted that adopting Nvidia's integrated solution would reduce development burden by about half. Qunova is pursuing commercialization of hybrid quantum computer solutions using the open-source Ising. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) has also signed technology agreements with Nvidia, HPE, and IonQ, and is pursuing plans to link the national supercomputer No. 6 'Hangang' with next-generation quantum computer 'Tempo' in the second half of this year.

3. Coupang, Having Invested 120 Billion Won in AI Companies, Pilots Unloading-Specialized 'Robot Arm'

- Key Summary: Coupang (CPNG) has invested $84 million (approximately 120 billion won) in Korean and global AI technology startups over the past three years, as disclosed by Coupang Interim CEO Harold Rogers at the 'Semafor World Economy' event in Washington, D.C. A key investment target, Conotoro, has developed an unloading-specialized robot arm using remote control that combines AI and human intelligence, achieving a 99% success rate in unloading tasks. Coupang also contributed 75 billion won to the government's 'Next Unicorn Project' Alpha Korea Sovereign AI Fund, forming a 150 billion won fund together with the government fund-of-funds. The company plans to invest an average of over 10 billion won each in 14 Korean AI startups and growth companies.

4. Elice Group to Equip Modular Data Centers with Nvidia's 'Vera Rubin'

- Key Summary: Elice Group announced it will launch a portable modular data center (PMDC) business this year equipped with Nvidia's next-generation GPU 'Vera Rubin.' PMDCs are modular data centers housed in container boxes with GPU servers, cooling facilities, and power supply equipment, enabling AI infrastructure deployment in three months compared to the 3-5 years required for conventional data center construction. The company is also developing new cooling techniques using hot water to efficiently handle heat generated when operating high-power GPUs. Currently, approximately 10 container boxes of PMDCs have been built. Elice Group CEO Kim Jae-won cited Boston Consulting Group (BCG) data, emphasizing that "AI-leading companies have twice the revenue growth rate of latecomers."

5. "Just as BYD Overtook Tesla... China Will Overtake US in AI Glasses Too"

- Key Summary: Xiang Wenjie, co-founder and vice president of Chinese AI glasses company Rokid, stated at the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, Hainan Province that "China will inevitably overtake the US in the AI glasses market in the long term." According to market research firm Smart Analytics Global (SAG), global AI glasses shipments are expected to reach 20 million units this year, a significant increase from 12 million units last year, with 45% expected to be Chinese-made. Founded in 2014 by Alibaba veteran Zhu Mingming, Rokid is China's No. 1 AI glasses seller by volume and holds the world's No. 1 market share (30%) in AR display glasses. Rokid plans to directly enter the Korean market within this year and is currently selling through Rounds, a subsidiary of Korean company ESTsoft.

6. From Scrapped Car Parts to High-Purity Materials... Finding Post-Oil Solutions in the 'Circular Economy'

- Key Summary: As oil prices surge and energy crisis intensifies following the Iran war, the strategic value of waste plastic recycling technology is gaining prominence. Incheon-based Plasicle has developed technology to decompose polycarbonate waste parts used in automobile headlights through depolymerization to regenerate high-purity bisphenol-A raw materials, and is currently undergoing pilot-stage technology verification from a chemical company. Meanwhile, City Oil Field has already completed construction of a plant capable of processing 6,500 tons of waste plastics and vinyl annually to produce up to 4,550 tons of recycled plastic feedstock oil. Ecocreation also possesses pyrolysis plant technology and proprietary catalyst technology. Plasicle CEO Cho Chang-beom stated, "An industrial transformation is needed to view waste as a resource rather than a cost."