Samsung SDS Consortium Takes Major Step Forward in National AI Computing Center Project with Its First Official Site Visit
□ The Samsung SDS consortium made its first official external engagement in SoLaSeaDo in Haenam
- Thirty representatives from the consortium member organizations (Samsung SDS, Naver Cloud, local government) joined the visit
- Conducted site inspections, reviewed geotechnical investigation results, and comprehensively assessed surrounding infrastructure
□ The consortium is currently under financial review after passing the technical and policy evaluations last year
- The process includes a financial review, the selection of a preferred bidder, the conclusion of an Implementation Agreement, and the establishment of a special purpose company (SPC)
The Samsung SDS consortium visited the site of the National AI Computing Center located in Haenam, Jeollanam-do. This was the consortium’s first official external engagement following its bid for the center.
The National AI Computing Center is a project with a total budget exceeding KRW 2 trillion, funded through private and government investments and policy-based financing. It will provide companies, universities, and research organizations with high-performance computing resources (e.g., GPUs) for hyperscale AI model development and large-scale data processing. The center will be a core infrastructure, supporting the government’s initiative to make South Korea one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses.
As part of the government’s ‘AI Expressway’ initiative, the National AI Computing Center plans to secure over 15,000 advanced GPUs by 2028, with further expansion planned through 2030.
After being the sole bidder for the National AI Computing Center project in October of last year, the Samsung SDS consortium created a task force to establish a special purpose company (SPC). The consortium has established an SPC, designed the data center (including permits and licenses), and created the business plan (including business model development).
During the visit, 30 representatives from the consortium member organizations —including Samsung SDS, Naver Cloud, and the Jeollanam-do provincial government — visited SoLaSeaDo, the city selected as the site for the National AI Computing Center, to inspect the planned data center location. They also reviewed the results of the geotechnical investigation and conducted a comprehensive assessment of the surrounding infrastructure conditions, including power and telecommunications.
The consortium passed the technical and policy evaluation last November and is currently under financial review.
Once the financial review and the selection of a preferred bidder are completed, the Samsung SDS consortium will initiate the establishment of an SPC upon the conclusion of the Implementation Agreement.
A Samsung SDS consortium representative said, “The purpose of this site visit is to reaffirm the consortium’s commitment to building the National AI Computing Center swiftly and smoothly, and to proactively assess on-site conditions prior to project implementation. We will bring together the capabilities of all consortium member organizations for the success of the project, ensuring that the center serves as the foundation to lead the global development of South Korea’s AI research and industrial ecosystems.”
