SK Group Establishes AI Data Center Subsidiary, Invests 7.5 Trillion KRW, Targets 15GW by First Phase

SK Telecom (SKT) announced on Thursday (23rd) the establishment of 'SK Hyper,' a subsidiary dedicated to developing AI data center operations, with plans to invest 7.5 trillion KRW by 2030. This marks a significant step in SK Group's strategy, announced on July 5, to build 15GW of AI data centers by 2035.

SK Hyper is fully owned by SK Telecom. The company name reflects a vision of 'transcending all boundaries and unlocking infinite possibilities,' aligning with SK Group's goal of rapidly expanding its AI data center business at a massive scale. As the primary executor of SK Group's AI data center strategy, SK Hyper will oversee land acquisition, substation construction and operations, customer acquisition, and business model development.

According to the plan, SK Hyper will advance AI data center construction in phases, with the first phase aiming to complete 5GW of AI data center capacity by 2029. Subsequently, based on market demand, the total capacity will be expanded to 15GW by 2035. The deployment will begin with a gigawatt-scale AI data center cluster in Ulsan, gradually expanding to regions such as the Chungcheong area and the Southwest region, creating a nationwide AI infrastructure network across South Korea.

In terms of personnel, Chung Seok-geun has been appointed as the first CEO of SK Hyper. He previously served as head of Naver Clova CIC and as head of Global and AI Technology at SK Telecom, with extensive experience in the AI field. He currently also serves as the leader of the 'AI Data Center Comprehensive Promotion Task Force,' a direct reporting unit to the SK Telecom CEO, overseeing related operations.

SK Telecom stated that the establishment of SK Hyper is also part of its response to the South Korean government's 'Three Super Projects for Korea's Great Leap Forward' initiative. Going forward, SK Hyper will drive AI infrastructure development, aiming to gain a competitive edge in Asia's AI infrastructure market and support Korea's goal of becoming one of the world's top three AI powers.