Establishing a Monthly Production System for 900,000 HBM Wafers
Launching the "Korean-Style Stargate" in the Southwestern Region
Chey Tae-won: "We Will Strengthen Competitiveness Amid the AI Transformation"
SK Group has taken a major step toward forming a global AI infrastructure alliance by partnering with OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, to supply memory semiconductors and build a domestic artificial intelligence (AI) data center. SK Hynix will serve as a key supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), while SK Telecom will jointly construct an AI data center in the southwestern region of Korea, positioning it as the "Korean Stargate."
On October 1, SK Group announced that it is accelerating next-generation AI infrastructure innovation through its collaboration with OpenAI. Chairman Chey Tae-won and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, met at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to sign a letter of intent (LOI) for memory supply and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation on the AI data center. This agreement marks the starting point for comprehensive collaboration across the entire AI value chain, from AI semiconductors to data center design and operation, and is seen as a move to lead global AI infrastructure innovation.
SK Group announced that Chairman Chey Tae-won (left) and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, along with executives from both companies, met on the 1st at the SK Seorin Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to sign a letter of intent for memory supply and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation on the AI data center in the southwestern region. SK
SK Hynix will participate as a core partner in OpenAI’s "Stargate Project," supplying HBM semiconductors. Stargate is a global AI data center construction project led by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, with a projected investment of 700 trillion won over four years. SK Hynix plans to establish an HBM production system capable of producing up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month to meet the surging demand for AI accelerators. This partnership recognizes SK Hynix's technological prowess and supply capabilities, as evidenced by its top global DRAM sales in the first half of this year, and is expected to be a key pillar supporting project demand that is twice the current global HBM production capacity.
SK Telecom, leveraging its extensive experience in building large-scale data centers, will jointly construct an AI data center dedicated to OpenAI in the southwestern region. The goal is to realize a "Korean-style Stargate," positioning Korea as an Asian hub for AI data centers. The two companies plan to develop B2C and B2B AI use cases based on the data center and collaborate on pilot operations of next-generation computing and data center solutions. Along with the SK AI Data Center under construction in Ulsan, this initiative is expected to form an "AI Belt" connecting the east and west of the country, contributing to balanced national development.
Chairman Chey stated, "By focusing SK’s capabilities from memory semiconductors to data centers, we will lead global AI infrastructure innovation and strengthen Korea’s national competitiveness." CEO Altman responded, "Our collaboration with SK will accelerate the global spread of the AI ecosystem."
SK plans to use this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen the Korea-U.S. AI economic alliance and will expand collaboration with global big tech companies to advance the development of "K-AI."
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