[Paju (Gyeonggi) = E-Daily Reporter Yoon Jeong-hoon] As global competition in generative AI intensifies, demand for AI data centers (AIDCs) is soaring to record levels. As global Big Tech companies pour massive funds into securing ultra-high-performance AI infrastructure, LG Uplus has begun construction on the largest AI data center in the Seoul metropolitan area, capable of running NVIDIA’s next-generation AI superchip. This marks the full-scale entry of domestic telecommunications companies into the “war of money” surrounding data centers, the core infrastructure of the AI era.

Ahn Hyung-kyun, Head of the Enterprise AI Business Group at LG Uplus (Senior Vice President), whom we met on the 5th at the Paju AIDC construction site in Wolong-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, said, “The global market has now moved beyond the adoption of large language models (LLMs) and entered an era where businesses and customers are explosively embracing AI data,” he said, adding, “We aim to achieve 5 trillion won in revenue over the next five years by operating as an ‘AI Factory Operator’ that integrates and manages all elements—including GPU resource management, power, and cooling—in a factory-like manner.”

As of last year, LG U+’s AIDC revenue stood at approximately 422 billion won; to achieve cumulative revenue of 5 trillion won by 2030, annual growth of over 30% is required. Demonstrating the market’s explosive demand for AI, Building 1 of the Paju AIDC—scheduled for completion next year—has already been fully sold out to global big tech companies even before construction has begun.

Preparing for Veralubin at 11.8 billion won per rack… Easily handles 200kW power consumption

LGU+’s Paju AIDC is drawing attention as it is being built as a hyperscale infrastructure capable of fully accommodating Veralubin—scheduled for release by NVIDIA in the second half of this year—making it the only facility in Korea capable of doing so. Verarubin is the highest-spec AI platform to date, integrating CPUs, GPUs, and LPUs into a single ecosystem. Morgan Stanley estimates that a single Verarubin-based rack system (VR200 NVL72) will cost approximately $7.8 million (about 11.8 billion won). This is nearly double the price of the previous-generation Blackwell rack (6 billion won).

Each rack consists of a shelf measuring approximately 60 cm wide, 1 m deep, and 2 m high, containing a bundle of 72 "Rubin GPUs" and 36 "Vera CPUs." Power capacity is critical to accommodate these racks. While power consumption per rack in conventional data centers ranges from 5 to 10 kW, the VeraRubin rack consumes up to 200 kW. This means a single rack consumes as much power as an entire average apartment complex.

In Building 1 of the Paju AIDC, which we visited that day, the 3rd to 5th floors house server rooms. The 1st floor is the mechanical room, and the 2nd floor is the electrical room. To support racks weighing 2.5 tons, the floor load capacity was designed to be 2.0 tons per square meter—4 to 6 times higher than conventional standards.

Kim Jong-jin, Team Leader of the LGU+ Field Team, stated, “We are making every preparation to immediately accommodate servers that require 100% liquid cooling, such as Verarubin,” adding “Three air conditioning rooms will be installed on each data center floor. With the air conditioning rooms positioned in the center, the piping has been designed with dual circuits to accommodate both air cooling and D2C (Direct to Chip) liquid cooling when server racks are installed on both sides,” he explained.

To ensure a stable power supply for AIDC, LGU+ has pooled the full capabilities of the "One LG" group. In existing data centers, power losses occurred due to repeated AC-to-DC and DC-to-AC conversions as AC power was transmitted to servers. To address this, LGU+ is jointly developing an 800V DC power distribution system with LS Electric. This system minimizes power losses by reducing the number of conversions, marking a key distinction from existing AC-based infrastructure.

Furthermore, the system is implemented through a “One LG” framework that uses “Free Cooling Chillers” produced by LG Electronics to generate cooling water, while UPS batteries from LG Energy Solution immediately compensate for power during outages. According to internal validation results, the D2C liquid cooling method improves energy efficiency by approximately 24% compared to air cooling.

The Largest Data Center in the Seoul Metropolitan Area at 200 MW... Customers Queuing Up Before Building 1 Is Even Completed

Upon completion, Paju AIDC will have a total power capacity of 200 MW. Paju is the only location in the Seoul metropolitan area to secure a data center of this scale. Specifically, the capacity is distributed as follows by building: △Building 1: 51 MW △Building 2: 21.5 MW △Building 3: 72.5 MW △Building 4: 55 MW. LG U+ plans to expand the capacity of its major AIDCs, such as those in Pyeongchon and Paju, to reach 600 MW by 2030.

Once the AIDC is completed, the DBO (Design, Build, and Operate) business, which provides comprehensive support for design, construction, and operation, is expected to gain further momentum. Whereas past data center businesses operated on a model of dividing server space (floor area) and charging monthly rent, LG U+ offers a package that includes 200 kW of power per rack, liquid cooling, and an AI-based infrastructure management system (DCIM) for customers who bring their own servers, charging a premium usage fee.

Jeong Sook-kyung, Executive Vice President in charge of the AIDC business, stated, “The Paju center features infrastructure that has been thoroughly verified from the design stage to perfectly meet approximately 100 to 500 technical requirements set by demanding global Big Tech companies.” She added, “Rather than simply being a center that rents out floor space, we will establish a standard model for K-AIDC as a ‘verified data center’ recognized by the global market, thereby driving the nation’s AI competitiveness.”