Four Semiconductor Materials Companies Transferred to SK Ecoplant
Data Centers to Be Integrated and Operated by SK Broadband
"Strengthening Holding Company Role to Enhance Corporate Value"
SK has begun restructuring its subsidiary portfolio, focusing on core future businesses such as semiconductor materials and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. The strategy is to streamline overlapping businesses and maximize synergies in order to enhance corporate value.
On May 12, SK held a board meeting and approved a plan to transfer its semiconductor materials business to SK Ecoplant and its AI infrastructure business to SK Broadband, according to an announcement on May 13. As a result, SK will transfer the shares in semiconductor material companies held by its subsidiary SK Materials to SK Ecoplant. The stakes in SK Trichem (65%), SK Resonac (51%), and SK Materials JNC (51%) will be transferred through in-kind contributions, while the 100% stake in SK Materials Performance will be transferred through a stock swap.
Last year, SK Ecoplant incorporated the semiconductor recycling company SK Airplus and the semiconductor distributor Essencore as subsidiaries, and will now also acquire the semiconductor materials business. The company plans to combine its capabilities in semiconductor materials, recycling, and construction (EPC) to become a "comprehensive semiconductor services company."
On the same day, SK C&C decided to sell its Pangyo Data Center (with a capacity of 30MW) to SK Broadband for approximately 500 billion won. Once the acquisition is completed, SK Broadband will operate a total of nine data centers. SK Broadband plans to expand its data center business to meet growing demand for AI and cloud services and to strengthen its position as a digital infrastructure provider.
An SK official stated, "The holding company's key role is to integrate overlapping businesses, enhance synergies among subsidiaries, and increase equity value," adding, "We will continue to take measures to improve financial soundness and corporate value." Previously, since last year, SK Group has been focusing on: restructuring centered on AI and semiconductors; strengthening management in energy solutions; and enhancing synergies among growth businesses. The company explained that the current portfolio restructuring is an extension of these strategies.
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