[AI Boom Combined with Trump Tariffs Push South Korean Companies to Invest Billions in the U.S.] Benefiting from the artificial intelligence industry boom and holding massive cash reserves, South Korean companies are initiating the largest wave of U.S. investments in years: on one hand, fully deploying cutting-edge technologies, and on the other, using this as a way to circumvent tariffs imposed by Donald Trump's administration. According to data from South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance, in the first quarter of this year, South Korean companies executed $10.2 billion in foreign direct investments in the U.S., more than doubling year-on-year and reaching a five-year high. The total direct investment in the U.S. for the full year of 2025 is projected to reach $25.7 billion, up nearly 15% year-on-year. Banking industry insiders indicate that the pressure of high U.S. tariffs is forcing cash-rich South Korean export companies to expand production in the U.S. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, as the two core beneficiaries of AI infrastructure development, have been particularly aggressive in their merger and acquisition investments. Over the past year, the combined market value of these two chip giants has more than doubled, and their combined operating profit this year is expected to hit a historic high of 600 trillion Korean won (approximately $400 billion). With ample cash flow, the two companies are conducting strategic investments across the entire AI industry chain in U.S. enterprises.