GS Group will build a 2.4-gigawatt (GW) artificial intelligence (AI) data center campus in Gangwon Province. As a single complex, it will be among the largest in Asia and is expected to become Korea's first "three mega projects" data center.
According to the business community on the 5th, GS Group has chosen the Bukpyeong Second Industrial Complex in Donghae, Gangwon Province, as the construction site for its AI data center. The Bukpyeong Second Industrial Complex was developed by GS Donghae Power, a subsidiary of GS E&R, which handles the energy business within GS Group, and was completed in 2022.
The Bukpyeong Second Industrial Complex covers about 595,04118 square meters. It was designated a hydrogen-specialized complex by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in Nov. 2024, and in Jan. this year it was designated a corporate investment promotion district by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.
GS plans to build a 1.2 GW data center by 2028 and complete an additional 1.2 GW in 2029. The total investment is 30 trillion won, and including equipment such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and memory, the required funds are expected to reach up to 120 trillion won.
Previously, SK Group and Naver, along with GS Group, announced plans to expand data centers to a total capacity of 8.4 GW by 2035. However, SK Group has not finalized additional sites beyond a 1 GW data center to be located in Ulsan. Naver likewise mentioned only Sejong and has not set a concrete plan for the site. In contrast, GS Group has secured land where it can build a data center, allowing it to accelerate construction.
GS Group has not only the power supply for the data center but also construction and operation experience. Through GS Donghae Power, it operates a 1,190 MW coal-fired power plant. GS Engineering & Construction has built up experience in data center construction as well as development through the "Epoch Anyang Center." GS Caltex has commercialized immersion cooling products for data centers.