OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly postponed his planned visit to South Korea, according to an announcement from OpenAI Korea. According to a report by the Elec, the company said Altman's broader Asia trip, which included South Korea, has been delayed due to unavoidable personal reasons. The cancellation comes just days before Altman was scheduled to arrive in Seoul.
The OpenAI chief had planned to meet leaders from some of South Korea's biggest technology companies, including Kakao, Samsung Electronics and Naver. As per the report, OpenAI Korea said Altman was looking forward to the trip and was disappointed that he would not be able to attend the planned meetings.
In a statement released on June 12, OpenAI Korea said the trip was postponed because of personal circumstances that could not be avoided. The company did not provide additional details about the reason behind the schedule change. OpenAI Korea also asked partners and stakeholders for understanding regarding the sudden postponement, the report added.
Meetings with Major Korean Tech Firms Delayed
Sam Altman had originally planned to arrive in Seoul on the evening of June 14. According to reports, he was scheduled to spend June 15 meeting Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a and also planned visits with executives from Samsung Electronics and Naver. The meetings were expected to focus on cooperation opportunities and OpenAI's growing presence in the South Korean market. Despite the postponement, OpenAI Korea stressed that South Korea remains an important strategic market for the company.
The planned visit comes as OpenAI continues to strengthen relationships with technology companies and governments around the world. South Korea has emerged as an important market for artificial intelligence, with major firms including Samsung, Naver and Kakao investing heavily in AI technologies and services.
