[Edaily Han Kwangbeom Reporter] The government and industry are making an all-out effort to foster AI data centers (AIDC) as a national strategic industry. With leading domestic AI companies participating, legislative and administrative support is also expected to be systematized.

With the Ministry of Science and ICT and other relevant government agencies, as well as approximately 400 companies and institutions in attendance, the “AIDC Alliance” held its official launch ceremony on the 29th and began full-scale operations. At the ceremony, it was consistently emphasized that AIDCs are more than mere data repositories; they are critical infrastructure that will determine the nation’s survival.

Jeong Jae-heon, CEO of SKTelecom(017670) (and Chairman of the KoreaInformation&Communication Technology Promotion Association), who serves as the private-sector co-chair of the AIDC Alliance, emphasized in his opening remarks, “While existing data centers were warehouses for exchanging information, AIDCs are export factories that produce intelligence and supply it to the global market.”

He stated, “The construction of hyperscale AIDCs—which represent the comprehensive integration of cutting-edge technologies such as servers, storage, cloud, power, and cooling—will present a massive opportunity for South Korea’s AI exports and industrialization,” adding, “Since competition in the AI era is not between individual companies but between nations, we must all stand together to go the distance.”

Members of the National Assembly and officials from relevant ministries who attended the event also pledged their support. Song Ki-heon, Chair of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, “It is urgent to secure a stable power grid, improve cooling efficiency, ensure the supply and localization of core semiconductors such as GPUs and HBM, and build AIDCs that promote regional synergy.” He added, “We will spare no effort in providing legislative and budgetary support at the National Assembly level to create a ‘Korean-style AIDC package’ that can lead the global market.”

◇Support from the Legislature and Relevant Ministries… “We Will Not Hold Back on Policy or Funding”

Han Jun-ho of the Democratic Party and Choi Hyung-doo of the People Power Party, who serve as ruling and opposition party secretaries, respectively, on the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, along with Hwang Jeong-ah of the Democratic Party, also emphasized, “The National Assembly will act as an accelerator, not a brake that holds things back,” adding, “We will join forces to improve regulations and establish a legal framework.”

Kwon Dae-young, Vice Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, said, “We plan to allocate 30–40% of the National Growth Fund—which will be expanded to 200 trillion won—to the semiconductor, AI, and power sectors,” adding “We have already directly invested large sums in companies such as Rebellion, Furiosa AI, Upstage, and Naver’s Sejong AIDC, and we will also establish a 10 trillion won KSTP (tentative name) fund to provide funding for achieving self-reliance in core technologies.”

This alliance serves as a public-private communication platform to implement national strategies, such as the construction of a large-scale AIDC with a capacity of 18.4 GW announced last month. It will be operated under a co-chair system shared by the government (Ministry of Science and ICT) and the private sector, with members including SKTelecom, Naver Cloud, LGELECTRONICS(066570), Kakao(035720), #SamsungSDS, NHN Cloud, LS Electric, LG Uplus(032640), GS Holdings(078930), KTCorporation(030200), KTCorporation, and Furiosa AI.

To carry out practical tasks, three subcommittees—Demand, Supply, and Infrastructure—as well as an Export Industrialization Task Force will be launched. The Demand Subcommittee (Naver Cloud) will lead the establishment and operation of AIDCs, cloud pilot projects, and the acquisition of large-scale reference projects. The Supply Subcommittee (LGELECTRONICS) will drive the advancement, localization, and standardization of ICT equipment, data center (DC) operation software, NPUs and accelerators, and next-generation power and cooling solutions. The Infrastructure Subcommittee (Kakao) will be responsible for improving laws and regulations, regulatory innovation, and securing a workforce of professionals tailored to industry needs.

◇ Three Subcommittees—Demand, Supply, and Infrastructure—Launched… Pushing for Package Exports and Special Zone Designation

In addition, through the “Export Industrialization Task Force,” the alliance plans to develop a package export strategy that bundles the entire process—from AIDC design and construction to operation—targeting demand countries such as the UAE, and will provide ongoing support for on-site challenges through a “dedicated support team.” Starting with the establishment of subcommittee-specific roadmaps in the third quarter of this year, the Alliance will move full steam ahead with the establishment of an AIDC project team and the designation of a cluster (special zone) in the first quarter of 2027.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon declared, “Just as we became an IT powerhouse through the information revolution of 1995, the era of the AI revolution has now begun,” adding, “We will establish ourselves as a nation that exports intelligent tokens to the world by tokenizing the entire AI framework and AIDC.” He further promised, “To ensure we do not miss this ‘golden window’ of three to five years, the government will spare no effort in providing full support, including resolving power and water supply issues and expediting the licensing and approval process.”