The government has begun building the National AI Computing Center, which will serve as a cornerstone of Korea’s bid to become one of the world’s three leading AI powers. On August 3, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Solaseado Data Center Park in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, and announced plans to build a National AI Computing Center equipped with 15,000 advanced AI chips by 2028.
 [코리안투데이] Groundbreaking ceremony for the National AI Computing Center at the Haenam Solaseado Data Center Park © 장형임 기자 |
The Ministry of Science and ICT (led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the National AI Computing Center on August 3 at the Solaseado Data Center Park site in Haenam-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, marking the start of full-scale construction.
The National AI Computing Center is a core piece of infrastructure for the government’s so-called ‘AI Highway’ initiative. Its goals are to secure the latest AI computing resources to create an environment for research, development and services, and to support the growth of the domestic AI ecosystem by promoting homegrown AI chips. Once completed, industry, academia and research institutions will be able to access world-class AI computing infrastructure at reasonable prices.
The operator was chosen through a public call for proposals held from September 8 to October 21 of last year. The Samsung SDS consortium submitted the sole bid, proposing Haenam Solaseado as the site, and was confirmed as the final operator after passing technical and policy evaluations, financial screening, and approval of an investment from the National Growth Fund. The consortium comprises Samsung SDS, Naver Cloud, Samsung C&T, Kakao, Samsung Electronics, Klush, and KT, along with the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City and Southwest Coast Enterprise City Development.
To combine private capital and expertise with the government’s seed investment, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Financial Services Commission’s National Growth Fund, and the Samsung SDS consortium established a public-private joint venture on June 10, Korea AI Computing Center Co., Ltd. (led by CEO Ahn Jung-tae), known as ‘KOACC.’ KOACC will take full charge of building and operating the National AI Computing Center.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon; National Assembly members Park Jie-won, Han Jun-ho and Ahn Do-geol; Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City Mayor Min Hyung-bae; KOACC CEO Ahn Jung-tae; Samsung SDS CEO Lee Jun-hee; and Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yu-won, together with officials from the central government, the National Assembly, local governments, the private consortium, the Korea Development Bank, the Industrial Bank of Korea, and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency. The program proceeded with the opening declaration, a project progress report, a welcoming address and congratulatory remarks, the proclamation of the vision and a promotional video screening, and finally the groundbreaking ceremony.
To secure the electricity and water needed to run the center, KOACC has completed its application to the Korea Electric Power Corporation for power use and is laying water supply pipelines and preparing other basic facilities. The plan is to carry out the building’s construction alongside facility work for operating high-performance AI servers, completing the center on schedule by 2028.
Notably, in 2027, ahead of completion, some of the AI computing resources destined for the National AI Computing Center will first be provided as a service from Samsung SDS’s data center. This is intended to respond proactively to the urgent demand for AI computing infrastructure among industry, academia and research institutions.
The center will also create an R&D Zone to provide a testing environment for the design and prototype development of domestic AI chips. Products whose performance is verified will be operated as commercial services to help promote homegrown AI chips. The Ministry of Science and ICT said it will work with the Financial Services Commission and others to actively review policy support, including demand linkage and funding needed for the center’s early operations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon stressed, ‘Through the National AI Computing Center, the government and the private sector will join forces to pursue both the acquisition of advanced GPUs and the promotion of domestic AI chips, contributing to securing full-stack AI competitiveness and positioning Korea to emerge as Asia’s AI infrastructure hub.’ He added, ‘With its abundant renewable energy and expandable location, the Haenam Solaseado Data Center Park is expected to grow into a key hub for the three mega-projects and become a model of balanced development in which the region and the nation grow together.’
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