SK Telecom plans 15GW AI data center buildout across Korea by 2035

SK Telecom on Sunday announced its plan to develop up to 15 gigawatts of artificial intelligence (AI) data center capacity nationwide, aiming to position Korea as a leading AI infrastructure hub in Asia. The initiative comes as surging demand for AI model training and inference is driving an unprecedented need for high-performance computing infrastructure. The company said it will advance the project in alignment with the government’s AI G3 goal, reviewing power, site and operational requirements. "The AI data center initiative is designed to proactively prepare the computing infrastructure needed for the global AI ecosystem," SK Telecom CEO Jung Jai-hun said. "We will work closely with the government, industry and local communities to help establish Korea as Asia's leading AI infrastructure hub." The telecom will take a phased approach, beginning with its first AI data center in Ulsan, currently under construction, and expanding into a broader cluster exceeding 2 gigawatts across the southeastern region. It aims to use the cluster as a foothold to attract global tech giants seeking to