NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's daughter Madison Huang has abruptly cancelled her scheduled visit to South Korea, just a day before her planned arrival, amid growing controversy surrounding her father's alleged links to a Chinese spy.
Madison, NVIDIA's senior director of marketing, was scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Monday for a three-day visit. However, the company informed the South Korean government of the cancellation on Sunday afternoon, citing family-related circumstances, according to South Korean broadcaster SBS News.
Her decision has drawn attention as she has accompanied her father during several high-profile engagements in South Korea, including meetings with leading business executives, a baseball event where Jensen Huang threw the ceremonial first pitch, and an interaction with the country's president.
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In her role at NVIDIA, Madison has also helped her father strengthen the company's engagement with South Korean political and business leaders.
The cancellation comes as Jensen Huang faces mounting scrutiny in the US over allegations involving Alice Huang, an IT entrepreneur who was reportedly in a romantic relationship with the NVIDIA chief.
According to a report by The New York Times, US intelligence officials view Alice Huang as an alleged intelligence asset of the Chinese government, with concerns that she may have passed sensitive information to Beijing.
Paul Mozur, global technology correspondent at The New York Times, said US intelligence authorities consider her an intelligence asset who could be sharing information with China.
The controversy has also raised questions about semiconductor sales involving a company associated with Alice Huang. The company reportedly purchased NVIDIA chips worth 7 trillion won over the past two years, fuelling suspicions that a substantial portion of the semiconductors may have been diverted to China.
These allegations have added another layer to concerns in Washington over the transfer of advanced semiconductor technology to China.
The controversy is gathering pace in Washington, where US lawmakers have sought clarity from Jensen Huang over whether he will appear at a congressional hearing.
According to SBS News, the US Congress has asked the NVIDIA CEO to confirm his attendance by November 11.
Against this backdrop, Madison's last-minute decision to cancel her South Korea visit has triggered speculation that the family may be dealing with the escalating controversy in the US.
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While NVIDIA cited family-related circumstances for the cancellation, it has not publicly established any connection between the decision and the allegations surrounding her father.
The episode also highlights how the intensifying intelligence and technology rivalry between Washington and Beijing could have consequences extending beyond the two countries, reaching even high-profile corporate engagements in South Korea.
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