Operating the largest 600,000-unit server and GPU in Korea
Concentrating future technology capabilities such as AI, cloud, and robots
“It will become a global hub leading the way to super-large AI”

Naver is building the largest high-performance computing infrastructure in Korea in Sejong City to accelerate the expansion of its AI and cloud-centered business.

On the 6th, Naver announced the full-scale operation of its second data center, 'Gak Sejong', located in Sejong Special Self-Governing City. 'Team Naver' expressed its ambition to lead technological innovation based on each Sejong in the future.

Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver, said, “With the recent changes brought about by data and cloud-based technologies, hyperscale data centers are receiving attention as a core infrastructure for technological innovation, but Naver has been preparing a follow-up hyperscale data center since the opening of ‘Gak Chuncheon’ 10 years ago,” and “Naver was able to launch HyperClova X this year thanks to our advance preparations.”

This is the second data center following the first data center in Chuncheon, which opened in 2013. It is a hyper-scale data center that brings together Naver's cutting-edge technologies such as AI, cloud, robots, and autonomous driving. It is located on a site of 294,000 m2 (square meters), which is the size of 41 soccer fields, and has the infrastructure to accommodate 600,000 server units, the largest in Korea for a single company. This is equivalent to storing 65 exabytes of data, which is about 1 million times the entire data of the National Library of Korea. The power supply capacity is also designed to supply up to 270 MW of electricity, which is 6.75 times that of Chuncheon.

Kim Yu-won, CEO of Naver Cloud, said, “Naver operates the largest GPU in Korea that is optimized for high-level computational processing, such as large-scale AI. Naver is also the only company that has mass-built supercomputers in cluster form.” He added that the current open space is only one-sixth of the total size, and that there is ample room to expand the infrastructure space in the future. CEO Kim also said, “With the launch of HyperClova X and the opening of each Sejong location, Naver’s cloud and AI business will accelerate.”

Each Sejong has applied Team Naver's technologies such as AI, robots, autonomous driving, and digital twins to maximize operational and management efficiency. Naver Labs' self-developed robot automation system has been implemented to manage the server, which is the core asset of the data center IT warehouse, and the 'garo' that transports heavy assets between the server room and warehouse, tracking the flow of assets in real time and managing them as a single system. In addition, within each Sejong site, an autonomous shuttle called ALT-B connects major bases of each Sejong site and helps people move around.

All robots in each Sejong are connected in real time with the space and service infrastructure through ARC (AI-Robot-Cloud) and ARM-System (Adaptive Robot Management-System) built on the Naver Cloud Platform to provide various services. Even in places where GPS does not work, the robot's current location and path are accurately reported, and it helps to enable stable operation of the data center by taking over the planning and processing for the robot's movement and task execution.

Each Sejong has applied technologies that utilize various natural energies. The server room, which runs 24 hours a day with natural wind, is cooled by utilizing the third-generation air conditioning system NAMU (NAVER Air Membrane Unit), which is a self-developed air conditioning system. It is designed to utilize the outside air appropriately for cooling according to the climate change of Sejong City. Additionally, the server room was cooled and the heat emitted was not wasted, but applied to hot water, underfloor heating, and snow melting systems on internal roads.

CEO Kim said, “Based on the know-how of operating each Chuncheon without interruption, accident, or disaster for 10 years, we can provide stable IT services and prepare for natural disasters such as earthquakes and fires,” and “To this end, we applied special-grade earthquake-resistant design not only to the building structure but also to the entire server rack unit.”