South Korea's Samsung and Hyundai pledge $397B in domestic investments, boosted by new U.S. trade deal reducing vehicle tariffs.

South Korean tech and auto giants, including Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group, announced major domestic investments totaling $310.79 billion and $86.47 billion respectively over the next five years, driven by a new U.S.-South Korea trade deal that reduced tariffs on Korean vehicles and required a $350 billion U.S. investment pledge. Samsung will expand chip production at its Pyeongtaek plant, with a new P5 facility set to begin mass production in 2028 to meet surging AI-driven demand for memory chips. Hyundai plans to invest 125.2 trillion won in AI, R&D, and production, aiming to double auto exports by 2030 and support domestic suppliers. The moves follow a government push to prioritize local investment amid global trade shifts.