SK Telecom is planning to develop up to 15 gigawatts (GW) of AI data center capacity across South Korea, with an initial focus on its first site in Ulsan. Multiple reports say the company is expanding an AI data center buildout in stages, starting with capacity currently under construction in Ulsan and then extending into a broader cluster across the southeastern region. One outlet describes an expansion toward multi‑GW scale that would be activated in phases beginning around 2029, ultimately targeting 15GW total by the mid‑2030s.
The company frames the effort as a response to rising demand for AI model training and inference, which requires large, high-performance computing infrastructure. SK Telecom says it is coordinating the project with government priorities, including Korea’s “AI G3” initiative, and is reviewing power supply, site selection, and operational requirements. SK Telecom also positions the plan as part of a wider approach involving SK Group’s broader AI infrastructure capabilities, while the telecom company is expected to spearhead the overall initiative and work with government, industry, and local communities. No specific site-by-site capacity breakdown beyond the early Ulsan and southeastern cluster is detailed in the provided reports.
