【Relevant National Tasks】
20. Establishing an “AI Highway” to Become a Top Three Global AI Powerhouses (AI G3)
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister: Bae Kyung-hoon) announced that it has selected the Samsung SDS consortium as the preferred bidder for the construction of the National AI Computing Center, which is expected to become a key foundation for Korea’s AI competitiveness.
This project will be conducted through the establishment of a public-private special purpose company (SPC) to mobilize the capital and capabilities of the private sector, using public investment as a catalyst. Through this, MSIT aims to proactively expand national AI computing infrastructure and establish a virtuous cycle to attract further private investment.
The call for bids was open from September 8 to October 21, 2025 and the Samsung SDS consortium submitted the sole bid. The consortium led by Samsung SDS includes NAVER Cloud, Samsung C&T, Kakao, Samsung Electronics, Clush, KT, the Jeollanam-do provincial government, and Southwest Coast Enterprise City Development.
After the bidding period closed, MSIT conducted technical and policy evaluations to assess the feasibility of the project plan, while policy financial institutions such as the Korea Development Bank (KDB, National Growth Fund) and the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) performed financial review to evaluate their ability to secure funding through equity investment and loans. Upon passing both screenings, the consortium was ultimately selected as the preferred bidder.
The Samsung SDS consortium proposed the Solaseado Data Center Park in Haenam, Jeollanam-do as the project site, with the goal of securing 15,000 advanced AI chips, including GPUs, by 2028. The consortium also plans to support the growth of Korea’s AI ecosystem by carrying out policy tasks such as supporting AI R&D and services across industry and academia, fostering the domestic AI semiconductor industry, and expanding cooperation with global technology leaders.
Going forward, MSIT, the policy financial institutions, and the Samsung SDS consortium will work together to specify detailed requirements including the composition and operation of the SPC Board of Directors, and the allocation of rights and obligations between the public and private sectors. Following final approval of equity investment by KDB and IBK, an implementation agreement will be signed and the project developer will be finalized.
Construction of the National AI Computing Center is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year and proceed at pace, with the goal of completion by 2028.
“We expect the construction of the National AI Computing Center will begin in earnest, as it will serve as a core infrastructure for an ‘AI highway’ and a platform for the growth of the AI ecosystem,” said Choi Dong-won, Director of AI Infrastructure Policy at MSIT. “We will work closely with Samsung SDS and relevant organizations to ensure the swift implementation of the project and the completion of the center by 2028.”
For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division (Phone: +82-44-202-4034, E-mail: msitmedia@korea.kr) of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
Please refer to the attached PDF.