'Cho Hyun-joon's Special Directive': Hyosung Launches AI Data Center

30MW Hyperscale AI Data Center in Geumcheon-gu
Mobilizing Power Equipment, Construction, and IT Expertise
Minimizing Transmission Latency Near Gangnam and Yeouido

Proactive Investment in Future Business Since 2017
Collaboration with Global Data Company STT GDC
Joint Venture Established and Co-Development Began in 2021

Strengthening Global Power and Energy Networks
Developing AI Infrastructure as a Future Growth Axis for the Group

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, initiated under the special directive of Hyun-joon Cho, Chairman of Hyosung Group, is expanding into a differentiated business model based on synergy among Hyosung affiliates. After opening a 30MW-class hyperscale AI data center in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, Hyosung plans to develop and introduce additional data centers that will lead the industry in the future.

According to industry sources on June 18, Hyosung Group is planning to secure operational stability and power efficiency for its AI data centers by combining its power equipment technology, construction capabilities, and IT expertise.

On the 16th, at the opening ceremony of the Hyosung-STT GDC (a joint venture between Hyosung and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres) AI data center 'STT Seoul 1' held in Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, Hyosung Chairman Hyo Jun Cho attended and gave a congratulatory speech.

Hyosung Heavy Industries will leverage its technologies for high-voltage transformers and circuit breakers to support the stable operation and power efficiency of the AI data centers. The company also plans to systematically secure specialized technology and construction know-how for AI data centers, capitalizing on the construction capabilities it has accumulated through liquefied plant and hydrogen charging station projects.

Hyosung ITX intends to integrate its existing IT business expertise—including cloud, CDN, and DX solutions—across the entire operation of the AI data center. The company plans to enhance the technical reliability and stability of the AI data center by establishing optimized traffic management and security systems.

Chairman Cho began considering data centers as a next-generation business by forming a dedicated task force in 2017, at a time when data centers in Korea had yet to be recognized for their commercial potential. In what was essentially an untapped market, Chairman Cho identified data centers as a key pillar of industrial infrastructure for the future and explored the possibility of collaboration with global partner ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC). STT GDC is a data center specialist company, operating a portfolio of more than 100 data centers across 12 countries in Asia and Europe, with a combined capacity of approximately 2.3GW.

Chairman Cho and Bruno Lopez, CEO and Group CEO of STT GDC, met in Seoul in 2019 and identified the data center industry as core infrastructure for the era of digital transformation. They agreed to foster data centers as a future growth business. Hyosung Heavy Industries and STT GDC formed a strategic partnership in 2021 and established the joint venture "Hyosung-STT GDC" for the joint development and operation of AI data centers.

The data center "STT Seoul 1," which opened through the joint venture on June 16, boasts a large-scale capacity of 30MW and is located close to major business hubs such as Gangnam and Yeouido, minimizing data transmission latency. At the opening ceremony, Chairman Cho stated, "STT Seoul 1 is the result of the combined expertise of STT GDC and Hyosung's power solutions capabilities. It will serve as a core infrastructure supporting the growth of Korea's AI industry and will be a new milestone in building future competitiveness."

On the 16th, at the opening ceremony of Hyosung-STT GDC's AI data center 'STT Seoul 1' held in Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, Jihye Park, member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, Hyunjoon Cho, Chairman of Hyosung, Bruno Lopez, CEO and Group CEO of STT GDC, and Wong Kai Jun, Singaporean Ambassador to Korea (from left), attended and took a commemorative photo.

This collaboration is a result of Chairman Cho's global management strategy. Last year, Chairman Cho traveled around the world more than four times, visiting over 20 major global sites across more than 10 countries including the United States, Japan, Europe, and India. He personally met with prominent business leaders, key political and diplomatic figures, and energy and IT industry leaders in each region to explore ways to strengthen Hyosung’s mid- to long-term competitiveness amid rapidly changing global circumstances.

In particular, meetings with key players who will shape the direction of the global power and energy industries helped clarify Hyosung’s strategic direction. Chairman Cho held in-depth discussions on structural changes and collaboration opportunities in the energy, AI, and IT industries with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol, and Oracle CEO Safra Catz.

Chairman Cho emphasized, "Hyosung is a company equipped with world-class power equipment technology, construction and engineering capabilities, and nearly 30 years of accumulated IT operations experience. The AI data center business brings together all of Hyosung’s core strengths and must be developed as a future growth axis for the Group."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.