OpenAI's Sam Altman postpones visit to S. Korea

SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's visit to South Korea scheduled for next week has been postponed due to personal reasons, the artificial intelligence (AI) research organization and industry sources said Friday.

Altman was originally scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Sunday for a two-day trip that included meetings with major technology companies, including Samsung Electronics Co., to discuss cooperation in AI.

During the visit, Altman was also expected to meet executives from portal operator Naver Corp. and mobile platform operator Kakao Corp.

"South Korea is a very important country and a strategic partner for OpenAI," the company said in a statement. "Our ongoing collaborations with domestic partners will continue as planned."

OpenAI added that it hopes Altman will be able to visit South Korea again in the near future and meet local partners in person.

The company did not disclose further details regarding the reason for the postponement or a revised schedule for Altman's visit.

This file photo, provided by Samsung SDS Co., shows Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong (L) and OpenAI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sam Altman shaking hands in Seoul on Oct. 1, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)