Amazon to invest another $6.5 billion in South Korea AI data centres
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It marks the largest direct foreign investment in South Korea, overtaking the previous record set by Amazon in June when it pledged US$4 billion for a AI data centre in Ulsan.
PHOTO: AFP
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SEOUL - Amazon will invest over US$5 billion (S$6.5 billion) to build artificial intelligence data centres in South Korea by 2031, Seoul said on Oct 29, calling it the country’s largest-ever foreign investment.
The commitment was announced by Mr Matt Garman, head of Amazon Web Services, during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
“Garman unveiled plans to invest more than US$5 billion by 2031, including the construction of new AI data centres in the Incheon and Gyeonggi regions,” Mr Lee’s office said, referring to areas near Seoul.
It marks the largest direct foreign investment in South Korea, the statement added, overtaking the previous record set by Amazon in June when it pledged US$4 billion for another AI data centre in Ulsan.
“Our government has set a target of becoming one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses,” Mr Lee told the Amazon executive.
“Amazon’s additional large-scale investment in AI data centres will further accelerate the development of Korea’s AI ecosystem.”
South Korea is home to two of the world’s leading memory chipmakers – Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix
Earlier in October, South Korea’s presidential office said OpenAI planned to set up joint ventures with Samsung and SK Hynix
OpenAI also signed initial deals to source memory chips for its data centres from Samsung and SK Hynix. AFP, REUTERS
