SK Group is accelerating the transformation of South Korea's artificial intelligence industry by partnering with global AI leader OpenAI to supply memory and build an AI data center (AI DC) in the southwestern region.

SK Chairman Choi Tae-won and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met at the SK Seorin Building in Seoul on the 1st and signed a letter of intent (LOI) for memory supply and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the establishment of an AI DC.

This collaboration is part of the global AI infrastructure construction project 'Stargate' led by OpenAI, and SK Hynix will participate as a supply partner for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) wafers of up to 900,000 sheets per month.

This will more than double the current global HBM production capacity and will serve as a key supply chain to meet the explosive demand for AI accelerators.

SK Telecom will jointly develop, build, and operate an AI data center dedicated to OpenAI in the southwestern region, moving toward realizing a "Korean Stargate (Stargate Korea)."

Through this, we will build an AI belt connecting the East and West regions, and demonstrate B2C/B2B AI use cases and next-generation computing solutions. We plan to expand to operations.

The collaboration between SK and OpenAI is considered a global AI leadership model that combines SK's capabilities in semiconductors, communications, and infrastructure with OpenAI's technological prowess.

The government also plans to actively support this partnership as a stepping stone to making South Korea one of the top three AI powerhouses.

Chairman Choi Tae-won said, “We are delighted that SK has become a key partner in the Stargate project,” and added, “We will focus our integrated AI infrastructure capabilities, encompassing everything from memory to data centers, to take the lead in global AI innovation and strengthening national competitiveness.”

SK Group is strengthening its collaboration with global big tech companies, including holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the "SK AI Data Center Ulsan" with AWS in August of this year. The group is also accelerating innovation in its business portfolio, focusing on AI as a new growth engine.