A new partnership between public and private sectors is set to kick off the construction of the world’s largest AI datacentre in South Korea. This ambitious project will cost around $35 billion and aims to be fully operational by 2028, boasting a whopping 3 gigawatts of power capacity.
Stock Farm Road, an investment company, is leading the charge. They recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Kim Young-rok, the governor of Jeollanam-do Province, marking an important step for development. The facility will feature cutting-edge cooling systems, robust fiber bandwidth for local and international needs, and the capacity to manage sudden energy fluctuations. It’s designed not just as a building but as a hub for AI innovation that could boost the economy both locally and beyond.
This project promises to create about 10,000 jobs across various fields, including energy supply, renewable energy, equipment, and R&D. Amin Badr-El-Din, co-founder of Stock Farm Road, emphasized its significance, stating this isn’t just another infrastructure project, but a strategic move for Korea’s tech leadership.
In collaboration with the Jeollanam-do government, Stock Farm Road will navigate the necessary permits to get construction underway. Co-founder Brian Koo sees this development as a game changer. He pointed out that large Asian enterprises exhibit impressive technological prowess, and this datacentre could propel Korea into a new era of tech and economic success.
Looking ahead, Stock Farm Road’s South Korean project is just the beginning. They plan to roll out similar AI infrastructure partnerships across Asia, Europe, and the US over the next 18 months. The choice of Jeollanam-do for this datacentre aligns with the South Korean government’s ongoing efforts to decentralize datacentre developments from Seoul to regional areas.
John Pritchard from Cushman & Wakefield noted that while the shift to regional areas supports purposeful development, it does present challenges. Latency and proximity are vital considerations for users, highlighting the continued importance of metropolitan datacentres in the digital landscape.