"Data Centers Head Underwater"... Ulsan City, KIOST, and 10 Organizations Launch "Underwater Data Revolution"

Academic Symposium Also to Be Held on the 13th
Leading the Future of Eco-Friendly Data Center Industry

Research to establish an eco-friendly "underwater data center complex" off the coast of Ulsan is set to begin in earnest.

Led by the Ulsan Metropolitan Government, a consortium of 10 organizations and companies-including the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) and various corporations-has established a large-scale cooperative framework. The goal is to overcome the limitations of land-based data centers by creating a new industrial ecosystem centered on eco-friendly, high-efficiency data centers utilizing marine space, and to secure a leading position in setting global standards for this field.

On November 13 at 3 p.m., the city will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the main conference room at Ulsan City Hall to develop a model for constructing underwater data centers.

This agreement aims to secure core technologies for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of an underwater data center model capable of housing 100,000 servers at a depth of 20 meters on the seabed off the coast of Ulsan.

The signing ceremony will be attended by Ulsan Mayor Kim Dookyum, KIOST President Lee Heeseung, Kim Ikrae, Head of the SMR Construction Preparation Center at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Seo Jangcheol, Head of Power R&D at LS ELECTRIC, Park Cheonjae, President of the Korea Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Assessment Institute, Kim Eunki, CEO of Samhwa Ace, Lee Taehwan, CEO of Advect, Byun Woonsub, CEO of Woowon M&E, and Park Jingyu, CEO of Union, among representatives from nine organizations and companies.

Under the agreement, KIOST will oversee the research project and develop core technologies; Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology will develop seabed stabilization technologies; Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power will optimize and control power supply; and LS ELECTRIC will be responsible for developing power grid and communication technologies.

Additionally, the Korea Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Assessment Institute, Samhwa Ace, and Woowon M&E will develop cooling technologies; Advect will be in charge of construction technology; and Union will handle the fabrication of structural components.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Government will provide the demonstration site and administrative support to ensure the smooth progress of the project.

Immediately following the signing ceremony, a technical forum on underwater data center construction will be held, where experts in each field will discuss technology trends and development strategies.

The forum will cover three main topics: strategies for developing underwater data center technologies to improve cooling energy efficiency; directions for changes in data center cooling infrastructure in the era of artificial intelligence (AI); and analysis of prior cases and conceptual design solutions for underwater data centers.

In the subsequent panel discussion, four participants-including Han Taekhee, Principal Researcher at KIOST-will discuss the current state of technology and future prospects for underwater data centers.

The city expects this research to lead to a next-generation, eco-friendly, data-driven business that increases cooling efficiency and reduces energy consumption. Upon completion, the project is anticipated to achieve a 40% reduction in cooling energy compared to land-based centers, lower carbon emissions, and improve data processing speeds.

Mayor Kim Dookyum stated, "By combining Ulsan's marine resources and industrial capabilities, we will develop a Korean-style underwater data center model," adding, "Ulsan will establish itself as a sustainable AI capital where industry and the environment are in harmony, going beyond being just a technology hub."

Starting with this agreement, Ulsan plans to complete the development of an underwater data center model by 2030 and begin constructing an underwater data center complex for commercialization from 2031.