[Gyeongju APEC] Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon: "AI Data Centers Are Essential for Building Full-Stack AI"

"AI Data Centers Are the Core Infrastructure for Technology Realization... Institutional Support Is Needed"
Highlights the Need for Tax Benefits, Streamlined Administrative Procedures, and Eased Location Regulations

Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver, attended the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit and emphasized the need to establish support measures for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

On the morning of October 29, at the second thematic session of the APEC CEO Summit held at Gyeongju Arts Center in North Gyeongsang Province, CEO Choi took the stage as a speaker and stressed, "The foundation and core infrastructure for realizing AI technology that enables a better future for everyone is the AI data center."

On the 28th, at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit's side event, the 'APEC Future Tech Forum,' a keynote speech is being delivered. Provided by Naver

Delivering the keynote address, CEO Choi spoke for approximately 10 minutes on the importance of building AI data centers and the need for institutional support. During this session, Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Simon Milner, Vice President of Public Policy for Asia-Pacific at Meta, also joined CEO Choi as presenters.

CEO Choi further explained, "Countries around the world are competitively pursuing the establishment of AI data centers as large-scale national strategic projects, and the Korean government is also preparing for another national leap forward by constructing a new 'AI superhighway' following the information superhighway."

Specific support measures mentioned included tax benefits and regulatory easing. CEO Choi emphasized, "Expanding tax incentives for AI data centers, streamlining administrative procedures, and easing location regulations will serve as practical support measures that can greatly energize the field."

Regarding the special law being promoted by the government and National Assembly to support AI data centers, CEO Choi stated, "It will serve as an institutional foundation for transforming the national industrial structure to AI," and added, "Such proactive efforts by the government and National Assembly will provide the groundwork for human-centered, inclusive AI that enables a better future not only for companies but for everyone."

CEO Choi also pointed out, "The power supply and environmental issues faced by AI data centers require joint efforts," and expressed hope that "today's event will serve as a meaningful starting point for collaborative efforts to solve our shared challenges."

She also introduced Naver's experience in building a full-stack AI ecosystem. Naver has independently developed the large language model (LLM) 'HyperCLOVA X,' which is being applied to Naver's services such as search and shopping, as well as to the AI chatbot 'CLOVA X.'

CEO Choi stated, "The AI that Naver is developing serves as a tool to connect the digital ecosystem," adding, "To this end, Naver has proactively invested in AI technology from an early stage, building a full-stack AI ecosystem that encompasses everything from infrastructure to models and services." She also emphasized that the benefits of such AI technological advancements should be shared by everyone.

Previously, CEO Choi also delivered a keynote speech at the 'APEC Future Tech Forum,' a side event of the APEC CEO Summit held the previous day, where she spoke about Naver's experience in building a full-stack AI ecosystem and the lessons learned from its industrial applications.