Gumi City to Build Asia's Largest AI Data Center Cluster

Advanced AI Data Center Cluster to Be Established in Gumi
Initial Phase to Build 300 MW, Expanding to 1.3 GW in Three Stages
Comprehensive Network System to Ensure Success of Mega-Scale Project

On December 18 at 2:00 p.m., North Gyeongsang Province and the City of Gumi held a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ceremony with the Quantum XI consortium to establish the "Gumi Advanced AI Data Center Cluster" within the Gumi High-Tech Valley (National 5 Industrial Complex), at the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government office.

The event was attended by Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of North Gyeongsang Province; Kim Jangho, Mayor of Gumi; Ahn Hyojae, CEO of Rohod Partners; Jeff Chu, CEO of Quantum XI; Jing Yin, Asia-Pacific CEO of Nscale; Shin Jaewook, Head of Real Estate Finance Division at NH Investment & Securities; Moon Seongcheol, Head of IB3 Group at KB Securities; and other key stakeholders involved in the project.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) ceremony was held with the Quantum XI consortium to establish the "Gumi Advanced AI Data Center Cluster" within the Gumi High-Tech Valley (National 5 Industrial Complex). / Photo by Gumi City Hall

Through this agreement, the administrative agencies and business entities will specify the scope, roles, and phased timeline of the project, and have agreed to work together to ensure the stable implementation of this large-scale initiative.

Given the need for massive investment and a project site spanning tens of thousands of pyeong, the parties also agreed to collaborate on securing the site, supporting essential infrastructure such as power, water, and telecommunications, fostering technological cooperation, and developing operational strategies.

The Quantum XI consortium, comprising Quantum XI, Nscale, NH Investment & Securities, and KB Securities, will develop the data center cluster under the leadership of Rohod Partners.

The consortium plans to build the largest advanced AI data center cluster in Asia, with Gumi High-Tech Valley as its base.

The project will be implemented in three phases, with a total scale of 1.3 GW.

The first phase, with a capacity of 300 MW, will be carried out by Gumi High-Tech Energy Co., Ltd., which will expand its existing plan for a 100 MW AI data center to 300 MW. Power capacity expansion and building design modifications are underway, aiming to break ground in the first quarter of 2026.

Approximately 4.5 trillion won will be invested in construction and infrastructure for the first phase data center alone, with additional investments of several trillion won expected for core equipment such as servers and GPUs.

The second and third phases will proceed sequentially from the second half of 2026, in parallel with infrastructure development, regardless of the completion status of the first phase.

The Gumi Advanced AI Data Center Cluster is an unprecedented mega-project in Korea, and it is expected that the main users will likely be global big tech companies rather than domestic firms.

The Quantum XI consortium is currently in discussions with multiple global partners and announced that the key partners will be revealed at the time of groundbreaking in the first half of 2026.

This project is expected to play a critical role in proactively meeting the rapidly increasing demand for computing power in the AI era and in strengthening South Korea's competitiveness in the global AI computing infrastructure race. At the same time, it is anticipated to serve as a turning point for Gumi, transforming it from a manufacturing-centered city into a global AI industry hub.

Notably, the significance of this project extends beyond the construction of a data center. It is also meaningful in terms of fostering an advanced future industry ecosystem that links AI research and development, the cultivation of specialized talent, and the AI transformation (AX) of the region's manufacturing base. Gumi City plans to attract more AI and cloud-related companies in the future, gradually building the so-called "Gumi AI Ecosystem."

Mayor Kim Jangho of Gumi stated, "This agreement lays the foundation for basic cooperation in advancing the project," and added, "We will form a task force team with North Gyeongsang Province, Gumi City, Korea Water Resources Corporation, and other relevant agencies to review the administrative procedures and foundational conditions necessary for the project's implementation."