This story is part of Forbes’ coverage of Korea’s Richest 2026. See the full list here.

Hyundai Motor Group, which has pledged to become one of the world’s top-three electric vehicle makers by 2030, unveiled plans in February to invest 9 trillion won ($6.2 billion) in a new innovation hub in the coastal city of Gunsan. Backed by the South Korean government, the complex will include AI data center infrastructure, a manufacturing cluster for advanced robotics and a hydrogen energy production base. The hub falls under the group’s five-year plan, announced by executive chairman Euisun Chung in November, to invest 125 trillion won in its home market.

In January, the group’s robot subsidiary, Boston Dynamics, a company it acquired five years ago from SoftBank at a valuation of $1.1 billion, launched the latest model of Atlas, a humanoid robot designed for industrial tasks such as handling materials and fulfilling orders. Touted by Boston Dynamics as the best robot it has ever built, it is expected to be deployed at Hyundai’s U.S. factory in Savannah, Georgia.

The group’s push into AI and robotics helped to energize shares of listed unit Hyundai Motor, which have nearly tripled from a year ago, resulting in Chung’s wealth more than doubling to $6.3 billion. In a February report, Seoul-based JPMorgan equity research analyst Sonny Lee gave Hyundai Motor an overweight rating, partly based on the potential value that could be unlocked from the company’s leading edge in humanoid robots.

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