Gumi City to Fully Support Large-Scale AI Data Center Investments

Official Launch of One-Stop Support Task Force
Full-Scale Project Initiatives with Quantum Eleven Consortium
Comprehensive Support from Permits to Power and Water
Acceleration Toward a "Premium AI Basecamp"

On December 30, the city of Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, held the "Gumi AI Advanced Digital Cluster One-Stop Support Task Force (TF) Kickoff Meeting" in the main conference room at City Hall, announcing the launch of a full-cycle administrative support system covering all aspects of permits, approvals, and infrastructure development. The task force is headed by Deputy Mayor Jung Sunghyun, with the Director of Economic Affairs serving as deputy head.

The establishment of this support task force is a response to the recent surge in investment demand for AI data centers.

Gumi is recognized as a city with optimal conditions for building data centers, including power supply, land, water, logistics, and transportation, and is rapidly solidifying its position as a "Premium AI Basecamp."

The "Gumi AI Advanced Digital Cluster One-Stop Support Task Force (TF) Kickoff Meeting" was held. Photo by Lee Hwan Kim

SAMSUNG SDS has officially announced plans to build a large-scale AI data center for use by itself and its affiliates within the Gumi National Industrial Complex 1, with detailed investment plans to be finalized in the first half of next year.

In addition, last December, Gumi signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Quantum Eleven Consortium to begin developing the "Gumi Advanced AI Data Center Cluster." This cluster will be based in the Gumi High-Tech Valley and is planned to be expanded in phases to reach up to 1.3 GW, making it the largest in Asia.

The initial phase will have a capacity of 300 MW, with construction set to begin in the first half of 2026 and operations targeted to start in 2027. Approximately 4.5 trillion won will be invested in construction and infrastructure alone, and the total investment is expected to increase further when including key equipment such as GPUs.

The project is considered unprecedented in Korea, with the possibility of leading global big tech companies participating as end users.

The meeting was attended by the heads of nine relevant Gumi City departments, representatives from related organizations such as Korea Water Resources Corporation, Korea Electric Power Corporation, and KT, as well as members of the Quantum Eleven Consortium, all of whom shared their commitment to collaboration. Participants reviewed the cooperation system, focusing on key tasks such as expediting permits and approvals and securing power, water, and land, which are critical to the project's success, and discussed potential issues and challenges that may arise during implementation.

Gumi plans to use this one-stop support task force as a core strategy to go beyond simply providing infrastructure and to foster an advanced AI industrial ecosystem where businesses, technology, talent, and industry are organically connected.

There are growing expectations that this will mark a turning point for Gumi, which has grown as a manufacturing-centered city, to transform into a city for advanced AI digital industries.

Deputy Mayor Jung Sunghyun stated, "Building the advanced AI digital cluster is an important starting point for Gumi to become a strategic hub in the global AI industry," and urged, "Please focus our administrative capabilities so that the one-stop support task force can become the key organization uniting the strengths of all departments and agencies to ensure the project's success."