SK will officially participate in building AI infrastructure in Vietnam. The group plans to support Vietnam’s future growth strategy as a key partner in the national AI strategy.

SK announced on the 24th that on the 23rd it had signed separate MOUs with the Nghe An provincial government and the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) to create an AI ecosystem, during the Korea–Vietnam Business Forum held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The signing ceremony was attended by Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group and Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as SK Innovation CEO Chu Hyeong-wook and SK Telecom CEO Chung Jae-heon. Also present were Kim Jung-kwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; Ngo Van Tuan, Vietnam Minister of Finance; Nguyen Khac Thanh, Party Secretary of Nghe An Province; Vo Trong Hai, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee; and Vu Quoc Huy, Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC), along with other government officials from both countries.

Previously, Korea and Vietnam agreed at a summit to expand cooperation in future growth sectors such as AI, semiconductors, and energy. The latest cooperation is seen as a case where this bilateral framework is being concretized at the private-sector level. In particular, expectations are rising as this represents the first overseas implementation of SK’s “AI Full-Stack Provider” strategy, which integrates its capabilities in AI data centers, power, and energy solutions.

First, SK Innovation and SK Telecom will work with the Nghe An provincial government to jointly explore the construction of an AI data center in the region and related infrastructure projects.

In February, SK Innovation was selected, together with PV Power, a power generation subsidiary under the state-owned Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN), and local company NASU, as a project operator for the “Quynh Lap LNG Power Project” in Nghe An Province. The Quynh Lap LNG Power Project is a large-scale energy infrastructure project that will build a 1,500MW combined-cycle gas power plant, an LNG terminal, and a dedicated port. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 with completion targeted for 2030.

In connection with this, SK Innovation plans to expand cooperation opportunities in the area of energy solutions, including power supply for data centers and the establishment of dedicated generation facilities. Based on this, SK Telecom will review plans for the development, construction, and operation of an AI data center and seek ways to secure global demand. The Nghe An provincial government will discuss support measures such as permits and approvals, administrative procedures, coordination with relevant ministries, and the provision of incentives.

In addition, SK Telecom and SK Innovation jointly signed a comprehensive cooperation MOU with the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) to build an AI ecosystem in Vietnam. The parties agreed to cooperate in areas including ▲ AI data center construction ▲ energy infrastructure development ▲ establishment of policy and institutional foundations to foster the AI industry.

SK Telecom will promote technology cooperation and investment attraction for the development of Vietnam’s AI ecosystem, including AI data centers, while SK Innovation will provide energy solutions needed for AI data centers and related industries. NIC will offer institutional support such as coordination with government ministries, regulatory improvement, and policy formulation, and will identify and connect local partners.

Meanwhile, Chairman Chey Tae-won has consistently outlined his vision of transforming SK into an “AI Full-Stack Provider.” SK is currently pursuing the “SK AI Data Center Ulsan,” a 100MW facility targeted for completion in 2027 in partnership with AWS, and is also discussing cooperation with OpenAI on the construction of a domestic AI data center.

At a business roundtable held prior to the Korea–Vietnam Business Forum, Chairman Chey said, “AI will play a crucial role in Vietnam’s sustainable growth,” adding, “SK possesses portfolio capabilities that span the entire AI ecosystem, from energy and semiconductors to AI models and application services, and based on this, it will make substantive contributions to the development of Vietnam’s AI industry.”

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