Establishment of a 100MW-Class Super-Large AI Data Center and Startup R&D Center
A Major Transformation for Boryeong's Future Industries
Boryeong City in South Chungcheong Province has attracted a super-large AI data center project worth 2 trillion won, ushering in an era of the largest investment in the province's history.
This project, which combines a state-of-the-art 100MW-class data center and a startup R&D center, is expected to serve as the key engine for transforming Boryeong into a future-oriented city based on AI.
On November 18, Boryeong City announced that it had signed a 2 trillion won investment agreement (MOU) for the establishment of the AI data center in the main conference room of the South Chungcheong Provincial Government Office, with Governor Kim Taeheum of South Chungcheong Province, Mayor Kim Dongil of Boryeong, and Kim Yongho, CEO of Ungcheon AI Campus, in attendance.
According to the agreement, Ungcheon AI Campus will promote the construction of a 100MW-class AI-specialized data center on a 103,109-square-meter site in the Ungcheon General Industrial Complex in Boryeong.
From 2026 to 2029, a total project cost of 2 trillion won will be invested through a public-private partnership project financing model. The plan is to introduce high-performance equipment optimized for AI learning and inference, and to build a "next-generation data center model" by combining eco-friendly power sources such as fuel cells and solar power with a high-efficiency cooling system.
In addition, an AI startup R&D center linked to the data center will also be established. The center will incorporate innovative functions to secure future industrial competitiveness, such as promoting youth entrepreneurship and strengthening the local startup ecosystem. Once the project is fully underway, it is expected to create approximately 150 new jobs, expand consumption of local agricultural and livestock products, and generate positive industrial ripple effects throughout the regional economy.
Boryeong City plans to strengthen its cooperation system with South Chungcheong Province and the investing companies, and will actively pursue administrative and financial support, including assistance with permits and expansion of infrastructure, to ensure the project swiftly moves to the implementation stage.
This investment is the largest in Boryeong's history of attracting companies, and is considered a meaningful achievement amid the global acceleration of AI technological innovation and digital transformation.
In particular, it is being evaluated as laying the foundation for Boryeong to leap forward as a "converged future city" that integrates AI ecosystems with the marine, energy, and cultural sectors.
It also aligns with the government's initiatives to alleviate power grid overload and promote regional distributed energy policies.
Until now, Boryeong has supplied electricity and industrial water produced by its thermal power plants and the Boryeong Dam to other regions. With the attraction of this data center, the city will realize a locally-based energy transition model that utilizes regional resources and fosters future core industries.
Mayor Kim Dongil stated, "This investment agreement marks a decisive starting point for Boryeong to emerge as a central city in the AI era," adding, "It is a meaningful achievement, equipping the city with a powerful growth engine that will drive the next 100 years of development."
He continued, "The AI data center will be the core driver for transforming Boryeong's economic structure, including industrial innovation, job creation for young people, and expansion of the startup ecosystem. We will spare no administrative support to ensure the project proceeds stably and rapidly."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
