McKinsey predicts that global data center demand will reach 220GW by 2030, with AI load accounting for 70%, and the United States alone facing a 15GW gap. During the window of supply shortage, SK Telecom announced its plan to advance the construction of an AI data center with a total scale of up to 15GW - the cost of 1GW is about 70 trillion Korean won, and the total investment can reach 100 trillion Korean won, about 643 billion US dollars. This South Korean operator is making a big bet on computing power in the name of the national infrastructure revolution.

Run 5GW first in 2029

The project starts with the Ulsan Data Center, which is currently under construction in collaboration with AWS, and aims to be put into operation in the second half of 2027. In the first phase, a cluster of over 2GW will be built in the southeastern region of Qingshang, and an additional 1GW will be added in the southwestern region of Jeolla. 5GW will be put into use in 2029 and expanded to 15GW in 2035. Funds will be raised through strategic cooperation, long-term contract orders, and project financing through multiple channels to reduce early-stage pressure through phased development.

From HBM to AI factory

SK Group will mobilize the full stack AI capabilities of its subsidiaries: SK Hynix supplies HBM, SK Ecoplant is responsible for data center construction, and SK E&S provides power energy. SKT, as the Chief Architect, leads the design and operation of the AI Factory in collaboration with Nvidia, with plans to launch and expand to GW level in 2027. Keywords: data center, computing infrastructure

Cui Taiyuan, chairman of SK, said frankly that this is the third national infrastructure revolution after the Jingfu Expressway and high-speed Internet, with the goal of making South Korea from an AI consumer to an AI exporter. The 15GW computing power blueprint is moving from planning to construction drawings.Editor/Cheng Liting