SK Telecom (017670.KS) will establish a specialized subsidiary dedicated to developing and investing in SK Group's artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
SK Telecom said on the 23rd that it will set up "SK Hyper," a corporation specializing in AI data center business development, and invest 750 billion won by 2030 to build the foundation for the business.
SK Hyper will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary in which SK Telecom holds a 100% stake. Its first chief executive officer will be Jung Suk-keun, head of AI CIC, who has been leading SK Telecom's AI data center business. The company name carries the meaning of transcending limits to open new possibilities and pursuing a hyperscale-class AI data center business.
SK Hyper will take exclusive charge of developing and commercializing AI data centers, including securing sites and building power infrastructure. The company is expected to serve as a forward base for executing SK Group's 15-gigawatt (GW) AI data center business, which is overseen by SK Telecom. Building AI data centers is one of the "three mega-projects for South Korea's great leap forward" announced by the government.
SK Telecom said, "Through SK Hyper, we have set a first-stage goal of building 5GW of AI data centers in Ulsan and other areas of the Yeongnam region by 2029." The plan is to subsequently build additional gigawatt-class data centers in the Chungcheong region and elsewhere in line with market demand, securing a total of 15GW of infrastructure.
Ahead of establishing the corporation, SK Telecom also created an "AI Data Center Integrated Promotion Team" reporting directly to the chief executive officer (CEO) on the 15th. The integrated promotion team, led concurrently by CEO Jung, will bring together SK Group's full-stack AI capabilities and oversee the entire business process, from site selection to design and construction to attracting customers. The plan is to accelerate the business by organically linking the integrated promotion team, which handles business strategy, with SK Hyper, which handles development and commercialization.
"SK Hyper will play the role of turning SK Group's blueprint for an 'Asia AI infrastructure hub' into reality," Jung said. "Through systematic and swift execution, we will secure core infrastructure and customers and contribute to South Korea's leap toward becoming one of the world's top three AI powers."
