Law firm Barun said on the 31st that it established an "AI infrastructure center" dedicated to securing power for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, financing, and permits and approvals. As head of the center, it brought on senior adviser Lee Yun-hyeong, who handled power sales and grid operations for about 30 years at Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).
Barun launched the center as the spread of Generative AI drives more large-scale data center construction, increasing demand for advisory work at the infrastructure stage, including power supply and grid interconnection and project financing (PF). It plans to advise on the entire data center business by combining power infrastructure and finance operations with legal and regulatory reviews.
Lee has worked since 1995 through this year at the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) in power management and sales and overseas business. According to Barun, in development projects such as the Incheon AI data center, the Hwaseong AI data center, and the Yongin Giheung AI cluster, Lee handled tasks including grid interconnection reviews, business structuring, power purchase agreement (PPA) execution, and responses to power-related regulations.
Lee said, "The key in today's AI infrastructure market is to go beyond interpreting regulations to verify KEPCO's feasibility for power supply and grid interconnection and to organically link Yeouido's capital," adding, "We will build a practical advisory model that goes beyond simple legal reviews to cover everything from securing power to financial structuring of projects to mitigate clients' risks."
Participants in the center include foreign attorney Lee Seung-gyo, who has experience in energy and infrastructure projects, public-private partnerships (PPP), and PF, as well as attorneys Byun Sang-yeop and Hwang Deok-jin. Former Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) CEO Park Hyeong-deok, now a senior adviser, will also support advisory work in renewable energy and overseas business.
Key tasks include preliminary reviews of the capacity and timing of power that can be supplied to data centers, grid interconnection consultations and PPA reviews, and investment attraction and PF structuring. The center also plans to provide advice on establishing project finance investment companies (PFV) and special purpose companies (SPC), designing governance structures, site acquisition and development, permits and approvals, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Barun managing partner Kim Do-hyeong said, "The success or failure of AI data center projects depends on whether you can untangle the on-the-ground threads of securing power and raising funds," adding, "By combining KEPCO's on-the-ground experience with Barun's finance, real estate, and regulatory response capabilities, we will provide differentiated advice that goes beyond regulatory review to actually execute projects."