SK Group Chairman Visits AI Data Center Under Construction in Ulsan
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited the under-construction SK AI Data Center Ulsan and SK Innovation's nearby petrochemical complex, calling for greater synergy between the group's AI infrastructure and manufacturing operations. The center, jointly developed with Amazon Web Services at an estimated cost of 7 trillion won, is scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2027.
Chey visited the site of the SK AI Data Center Ulsan, being built in the city's national industrial complex, a day ahead of the 2026 Ulsan Forum. He was accompanied by chief executives of major SK affiliates, including SK Innovation, SK Telecom and SK Gas, the group said.
The center is being jointly developed by SK Group and Amazon Web Services at an estimated cost of 7 trillion won (US$5.2 billion). During the visit, Chey described the envisioned data center as a key piece of South Korea's AI infrastructure, while pointing to SK Innovation's Ulsan Complex (CLX) as a major testing ground for applying AI to real-world manufacturing operations.
SK Innovation's Ulsan CLX, its flagship refining and petrochemical production base, has been pushing an AI-driven transformation of its operations, providing a potential link between the group's expanding AI computing infrastructure and its traditional manufacturing businesses.
"SK's vision of becoming a full-stack AI provider can only be realized when the SK AI Data Center Ulsan, a symbol of AI infrastructure, is seamlessly connected with SK Innovation's Ulsan CLX, where AI is applied to actual production," Chey said, calling for greater synergy among SK Group affiliates.
Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony in August last year, and the data center is scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2027. The facility is designed to support high-performance computing based on graphics processing units (GPUs) and incorporates hybrid cooling systems to provide greater performance and efficiency than conventional data centers.
The group plans to use the Ulsan data center as a hub for attracting AI companies, creating jobs and driving manufacturing innovation as a new growth engine for the industrial city.
Editor's Summary SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited the under-construction SK AI Data Center Ulsan and SK Innovation's nearby petrochemical complex, calling for synergy between AI infrastructure and manufacturing. The data center, jointly developed with Amazon Web Services at an estimated cost of 7 trillion won, is scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2027. The group aims to use the facility to attract AI companies, create jobs and support manufacturing innovation in Ulsan.