[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] The government has fully launched a cross-ministerial support system to foster the “AI Data Center (AIDC) Mega Project” as a key national infrastructure initiative. The government plans to directly resolve key bottlenecks in data center construction—such as site acquisition, power supply, water supply, and financial investment—while accelerating the development of an AI data center ecosystem by expanding cooperation with the private sector.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 14th that it held the first meeting of the “Inter-ministerial Comprehensive Support Task Force (TF)” with relevant ministries, chaired by the Director-General of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau, to discuss support measures for the AI Data Center Mega Project.

This TF is a follow-up measure to the “Three Major AI Mega-Projects of the Republic of Korea” announced on the 29th of last month. Relevant ministries—including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, climate-related ministries, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Financial Services Commission—are participating to provide comprehensive support for securing sites necessary for the construction and operation of AI data centers, ensuring power and water supplies, strengthening the competitiveness of materials, parts, and equipment, and attracting large-scale financial investment.

The task force plans to hold regular monthly meetings and conduct ad hoc review meetings as needed should the private sector encounter difficulties. It will also operate a dedicated support team to resolve on-site issues and establish an industrial cooperation framework by forming the “AIDC Alliance,” which will include both supply and demand-side companies.

Kim Kyung-man, Director General of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, “We will closely monitor the progress of private investment and continue to provide unprecedented support to ensure that the AI data center mega-project proceeds without a hitch, based on a system of constant inter-ministerial communication.”

“GPUs Alone Are Not Enough”… Fostering the Industrial Ecosystem, Including Power, Cooling, and Construction

On the same day, the Industry AX & Ecosystem Subcommittee of the National AI Strategy Committee also held a “Roundtable on Fostering the AI Data Center Industrial Ecosystem” at Seoul Square to discuss measures to strengthen the competitiveness of AI data centers.

The roundtable was attended by major cloud and telecommunications companies—including Naver Cloud, Megazone Cloud, Samsung SDS (SAMSUNG SDS CO., LTD.(018260)), KTCorporation Cloud, LG CNS (#LG CNS), NHN Cloud, and SKTelecom(017670) —as well as power and construction firms such as LS Electric and DL E&C CO., LTD.

Participants agreed that the competitiveness of AI data centers is determined not only by securing GPUs but also by comprehensive infrastructure encompassing power facilities, cooling technology, construction capabilities, and supply chains. In particular, as computing demand is expected to surge due to the spread of physical AI and agentic AI, the timely provision of data centers was identified as a key task that will determine the nation’s AI competitiveness.

Suggestions were also made to foster the domestic power equipment, cooling equipment, and components industries together to develop AI data centers into a new export industry, and to create a favorable investment environment through tax incentives and regulatory improvements.

Cho Jun-hee, Chair of the Industry AX and Ecosystem Subcommittee of the National AI Strategy Committee, stated, “AI data centers are not merely a collection of GPUs, but rather core national infrastructure that combines power facilities, advanced cooling technology, and construction capabilities,” adding, “We will provide support to lead the global AI market by achieving domestic technological self-reliance and strengthening the industrial ecosystem.”

Government and Telecom Industry to Discuss AIDC Investment on the 22nd

Discussions on AI data center investment between the government and the telecom industry are also continuing.

According to industry sources, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon is scheduled to hold the second regular meeting with the chief executive officers (CEOs) of SKTelecom, KTCorporation, and LG Uplus on the 22nd at SKTelecom’s headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul.

This meeting is a follow-up to the decision made at the first meeting last April to establish a quarterly consultative body. While the first meeting focused on strengthening security and a joint declaration on AI investment, this meeting is expected to address key agenda items such as expanding investment in AI data centers, challenges faced by the industry, and government support measures.

The government is expected to share its policy direction for AI data centers, while the telecom companies are likely to propose institutional reforms to stimulate investment, such as securing power supplies, obtaining permits and licenses, and tax incentives. With the government having launched an inter-ministerial task force to gather industry input and now proceeding with regular consultations with the telecom sector, the push for AI data center megaprojects is expected to gain further momentum.