The government will invest 1.5 trillion won to secure artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor graphics processing units (GPUs), with Naver (NAVER), Kakao, and NHN participating in the project.
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 28th that it has selected Naver Cloud, NHN Cloud, and Kakao as project participants for the GPU procurement project. The ministry plans to secure 13,000 advanced GPUs with the three companies.
The Ministry of Science and ICT stated it will quickly expand domestic AI computing infrastructure and provide support to necessary industry-academia-research collaborations through this project. The ministry noted, "This will be an important starting point for a qualitative leap in domestic AI research and service development, as well as for revitalizing the AI ecosystem."
Previously, the government organized a supplementary budget of about 1.46 trillion won for the advanced GPU procurement project in May. Following this, the process involved calls for participation, proposal evaluations, site inspections of data centers, and deliberations and adjustments of project expenses.
The government and the three selected companies plan to secure a total of 13,000 GPUs, specifically 10,080 units of Nvidia B200 and 3,056 units of H200.
The allocated quantity is largest for NHN Cloud, followed by Naver Cloud and Kakao. However, the market-leading model H200 has been designated for Naver Cloud. Naver Cloud plans to secure and establish a total of 3,056 units of H200.
Among the GPUs secured and established by Naver Cloud, the ones to be utilized by the government are 2,296 units of H200, which will be clustered into 255 nodes (2,040 units) and 32 nodes (256 units). These GPU resources are planned to be supported and allocated to industry-academia-research collaborations starting this year.
NHN Cloud will secure and establish a total of 7,656 units of B200. It plans to operate entirely with B200 using a water cooling system. Of the GPUs secured and established by NHN Cloud, the government will utilize 6,120 units of B200, clustered into B200 510 nodes (4,080 units) and B200 255 nodes (2,040 units). Some are planned to be piloted for beta service within this year.
Kakao will secure and establish a total of 2,424 units of B200. Of Kakao's secured and established units, the government will utilize 2,040 units of B200, which will be clustered into B200 255 nodes (2,040 units). Some are intended to be piloted for beta service within this year.
The government plans to advance the project agreements and GPU purchase orders as early as early August. Minister Bae Gyeong-hun stated, "This advanced GPU procurement will serve as a catalyst for the insufficient AI computing infrastructure in the country and will be the starting point for accelerating innovation across the entire domestic AI ecosystem as part of the new government's sovereign AI ecosystem expansion and AI highway construction."
He emphasized, "From this point onwards, we will put all policy efforts into further strengthening the AI computing infrastructure and elevating Korea to an AI powerhouse."