Samsung SDS, a South Korean global IT services, cloud computing, and logistics provider headquartered has begun construction of an artificial intelligence data center on a site of 14,000 pyeong (46,281 square metres), in Gongdan-dong, Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. The facility will initially have a power capacity of 60 MW, with expansion plans to 120 MW in stages.
The project was announced on November 2, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2028 since Gumi City approved the construction in late August 2026. According to a Samsung press release, the facility is designed to support high-performance computing requirements for AI applications, particularly GPU-intensive workloads.
Its design incorporates large-capacity power infrastructure, backup systems for critical facilities and emergency power supplies to maintain operational stability. The facility will also use a hybrid cooling system combining air and liquid cooling to manage heat generated by high-performance servers. Air cooling will be used in areas housing network and storage equipment, while liquid cooling will serve high-density GPU server areas, where heat generation is greater.
The server rooms are being designed to accommodate different power-density requirements, including ultra-high-power racks, allowing the facility to support various AI systems and future computing demands.
“AI is changing the way companies work and the competitiveness of industries. For these changes to lead to actual results, a strong foundation is needed to process massive amounts of data and operate AI stably, and the Gumi AI Data Center will take on that role”, said Lee Jun-hee, CEO, Samsung SDS. “Samsung SDS will pool its data center construction and operation experience, cloud, and AI technology capabilities it has accumulated to create an AI infrastructure that customers can trust and use”, he added.
The data center is the first tangible project under Samsung’s plan, announced in July, to invest approximately 60 trillion won (US$ 44.8 million) in high-tech industries across the Yeongnam region. The investment programme includes AI data centers in Gumi, solid-state batteries in Ulsan, AI server package boards and multilayer ceramic capacitors in Busan, and advanced manufacturing facilities in Geoje.
Samsung SDS plans to operate its own GPU infrastructure at the site while also offering colocation services, allowing customers to install and operate their own GPU equipment. The data center will support AI-related operations at Samsung affiliates and provide computing infrastructure and AI services to external customers.
The facility is also expected to support manufacturing automation projects involving precision-task robots, as Samsung affiliates expand their Robotics Transformation (RX) operations.
Samsung SDS announced in January that it would invest 427.3 billion won (US$ 320 million) in the new data center and subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding with North Gyeongsang Province and Gumi City for the project.