Agreements with Nghe An Province and Vietnam’s NIC aim to develop AI data centers, connected infrastructure, and broader AI industry cooperation
At the Korea–Vietnam Business Forum held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 23, SK is signing an MOU with a Vietnamese government agency to build an AI ecosystem. The photo shows (from left) Ngo Van Tu, CEO of NASU; Hwang Van Quang, Chairman of PV Power; Jeong Jae-heon, CEO of SK Telecom; Choo Hyung-wook, CEO of SK Innovation; Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-gwan; Vietnam’s Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan; Nguyen Khac Than, Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee; and Vo Trong Hai, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee.
SK announced on April 23 that it signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Government of Nghe An Province and with Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC), respectively, to build an AI ecosystem, at the Korea–Vietnam Business Forum held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The signing ceremonies were held with the attendance of Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-gwan and Vietnam’s Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan. On SK’s side, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also serves as Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attended along with Choo Hyung-wook, CEO of SK Innovation, and Jeong Jae-heon, CEO of SK Telecom. On the Vietnamese side, attendees included Nguyen Khac Than, Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee; Vo Trong Hai, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee; and Vu Quoc Huy, Director General of the National Innovation Center (NIC), among others.
SK Innovation and SK Telecom signed an MOU with the Government of Nghe An Province to jointly explore projects to build an AI data center (AI DC) in the province and develop related, connected infrastructure. Nghe An Province is a key hub in Vietnam’s north-central region and a high-growth area where efforts to foster manufacturing, energy, and advanced industries are active, leveraging port and logistics infrastructure.
In connection with the recently awarded “Quynh Lap LNG Power Project,” SK Innovation will broadly explore cooperation opportunities at the level of energy solutions, including supplying power for a data center and establishing dedicated power generation sources. Based on this, SK Telecom plans to review development, construction, and operation plans for an AI DC and to seek ways to secure global demand. The Government of Nghe An Province decided to discuss support measures so that the partnership implementation plan can be concretized, including by creating the overall conditions for execution through licensing and permitting, administrative procedures, consultations with relevant ministries, and the provision of incentives.
In February, SK Innovation was selected as a project developer for Nghe An Province’s “Quynh Lap LNG Power Project” together with PV Power, a power generation company under Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN), and NASU, a local company. The project is a large-scale energy infrastructure initiative to develop a 1,500MW combined-cycle gas power plant along with an LNG terminal and a dedicated port, with the aim of breaking ground in 2027 and completing construction in 2030.
At the forum, the Government of Nghe An Province presented the SK Innovation consortium with the “Quynh Lap Power Project Investment Registration Certificate (IRC),” reaffirming its commitment to advancing the project. Choo Hyung-wook, CEO of SK Innovation, then delivered a presentation under the theme of “Vietnam’s Economic Leap Through AI+Energy Innovation,” stating, “Based on SK’s capabilities built through operating large-scale power generation and diverse energy solution businesses, we will complete the construction of local power infrastructure without disruption.”
In addition, SK Telecom and SK Innovation jointly signed a comprehensive cooperation MOU with Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC, National Innovation Center) to build an AI ecosystem in Vietnam.
NIC is an organization established in 2019 by the Vietnamese government to foster advanced technology industries and startups, and, as the national innovation hub, it leads areas including AI, semiconductors, and investment attraction. SK has maintained a close cooperative relationship as a key partner, including by providing $30 million in support for NIC’s establishment.
Jeong Jae-heon, CEO of SK Telecom, said, “AI data centers are core infrastructure that forms the foundation for the growth of the AI industry,” adding, “Based on the AI DC development, construction, and operation capabilities we have accumulated to date, SK will continue to concretize an AI data center cooperation model optimized for Vietnam.”
This cooperation with Vietnam is significant in that it could become the first overseas case in which SK advances its “AI full-stack provider” strategy by bringing together its capabilities in AI DCs, power, and energy solutions.
Ahead of the Korea–Vietnam Business Forum, Chairman Chey said at a business leaders’ meeting, “AI will play a key role in Vietnam’s sustainable growth,” and added, “SK has portfolio capabilities across the overall AI ecosystem, from energy to semiconductors and AI models and application services, and based on this, we will make practical contributions to the development of Vietnam’s AI industry.”
Jung Suk-yee
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