Korea’s AI semiconductor landscape is undergoing a visible shift. During the APEC 2025 Economic Exhibition in Gyeongju, AI chip startup Rebellions stood alongside Samsung Electronics as a national representative of Korea’s semiconductor sector. The inclusion marks not only technological recognition but also a growing acknowledgment of startups as vital contributors to Korea’s deep-tech ecosystem.

Rebellions Showcased as Korea’s AI Chip Representative at APEC 2025

AI semiconductor developer Rebellions has been selected as one of Korea’s national representative companies for the Economic Exhibition at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), organized by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).

The exhibition takes place from October 20 to November 11, 2025, at the Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, spotlighting Korea’s key industrial sectors to global policymakers and investors.

Within the APEC Economic Exhibition Hall, KOTRA established a Semiconductor Pavilion featuring five leading Korean companies. Alongside Samsung Electronics and FuriosaAI, Rebellions represents Korea’s cutting-edge AI semiconductor innovation.

At the same time, Lunit and Angel Robotics were also invited as representative AI service firms utilizing AI chips.

Korea Expands Semiconductor Diplomacy Through APEC

The APEC Economic Exhibition serves as a showcase of national competitiveness across the Asia-Pacific region. For Korea, it functions as a soft-power platform to reinforce leadership in AI hardware, advanced manufacturing, and digital trade.

KOTRA’s selection of both major corporations and startups aligns with the government’s broader “co-growth” strategy, which seeks to integrate emerging innovators into global supply chains traditionally dominated by conglomerates. The initiative also reflects Korea’s long-term goal of positioning its AI semiconductor ecosystem as a pillar of next-generation digital infrastructure.

Rebellions’ Perspective on National Recognition

Rebellions’ exhibition theme, “From Small Chips to Massive Data Centers,” captures its ambition to demonstrate how AI semiconductors can power efficient and scalable data infrastructure.

At the APEC pavilion, the company displayed its flagship RebelQuad AI chip, the AtomMax Card designed for AI service deployment, and a neural-processing-unit (NPU) server rack used in commercial data systems.

Park Sung-hyun, CEO of Rebellions, expressed gratitude for the recognition:

“We appreciate KOTRA for selecting us as one of the exhibiting companies. This recognition signifies that startups have secured a position as key players in the AI industry.
It also shows that Korea’s technology ecosystem is evolving — moving beyond a development-focused model toward one based on collaboration and shared growth.”

Korean Startups Rising Beside the Country’s Giants

Rebellions’ participation signals a broader transition in Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem. Traditionally dominated by conglomerate-led manufacturing powerhouses, the sector is now seeing a new balance where deep-tech startups complement large-scale innovation efforts.

By standing alongside Samsung Electronics at an international forum such as APEC, Rebellions represents a symbolic milestone — proof that Korea’s startup ecosystem is reaching technological maturity and gaining diplomatic visibility in global tech governance.

For global investors, the move reinforces the message that Korea is diversifying its AI supply chain, encouraging public-private collaboration to accelerate chip design, edge computing, and data-center efficiency innovations.

A Defining Moment for Korea’s AI Hardware Ambition

Rebellions’ role at APEC 2025 exemplifies Korea’s evolving innovation model — one that integrates startups, conglomerates, and government agencies into a unified growth strategy. As AI semiconductors emerge as a new frontier of economic and geopolitical competition, Korea’s inclusion of a startup in its official delegation sends a clear signal: the next generation of global semiconductor leadership will be collaborative.

The exhibition may last only a few weeks, but its implications extend much further — marking a step toward a more inclusive, innovation-driven Korea on the global stage.

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