Hyosung Group has officially launched its inaugural AI-focused data center in Seoul, a significant venture undertaken with Singapore-based ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC). This strategic move targets South Korea’s booming data center market, which is forecast to surge to an estimated 20 trillion won ($13.2 billion) by 2030.
The joint venture, Hyosung-STT GDC, formed by Hyosung Heavy Industries and STT GDC, proudly unveiled STT Seoul 1 on Tuesday. Located in Geumcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul, this cutting-edge hyperscale data center is specifically engineered to power advanced cloud computing and demanding AI workloads.
The grand opening ceremony drew a distinguished roster of key executives and officials. Notable attendees included Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon, Bruno Lopez (President and Group CEO of STT GDC), Rep. Park Ji-hye of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Singapore Ambassador to Korea Wong Ka-Jiun.
STT Seoul 1 represents a powerful synergy, merging Hyosung Heavy Industries’ robust power infrastructure capabilities with STT GDC’s extensive data center operating expertise spanning Asia and Europe. Boasting an impressive 30 megawatts of IT capacity, this hyperscale facility is designed to host thousands of servers and AI accelerators. This empowers large-scale cloud and AI deployments, while also fully supporting the demanding requirements of next-generation high-density computing workloads.
A significant strategic advantage of STT Seoul 1 is its unparalleled ability to deliver high-density IT capacity directly within Seoul. This is particularly crucial given the escalating limitations on power availability for large-scale data centers within the capital. While many new data centers are pushed outside the Seoul metropolitan area due to power supply constraints and regulatory hurdles, STT Seoul 1’s prime location ensures proximity to key business districts, including Gangnam and Yeouido.
Furthermore, Hyosung Group’s subsidiaries play pivotal roles. Hyosung Heavy Industries will supply advanced power equipment and state-of-the-art energy-efficiency technologies to the AI data center. Concurrently, Hyosung ITX will deploy its extensive IT expertise across cloud services, content delivery networks, and digital transformation solutions to ensure robust operations and enhanced reliability for the facility.
Chairman Cho Hyun-joon’s foresight into the burgeoning AI data center business began in 2017, when he initiated a dedicated task force to identify the sector as a vital future growth engine for Hyosung. This proactive approach culminated in a strategic partnership with STT GDC, following Chairman Cho’s meeting with Group CEO Bruno Lopez in Seoul in 2019. This collaboration officially formalized with the establishment of Hyosung-STT GDC two years later.
Hyosung highlighted STT GDC’s impressive global footprint as a key factor in their partnership. With over 100 data centers strategically located across 12 countries in Asia and Europe, and an aggregated IT capacity of 2.3 gigawatts, STT GDC was clearly identified as the ideal global partner.
Industry analysts credit this successful partnership to Chairman Cho Hyun-joon’s proactive global leadership and extensive network, meticulously cultivated through years of engagement with prominent business and government leaders worldwide. His commitment is evident in his travels to over 10 countries last year, where he engaged with influential figures in the energy and technology sectors, including US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, and Oracle CEO Safra Catz. These discussions focused on critical industry trends and explored potential cooperation in pivotal areas like energy, AI, and various digital technologies.
