South Korea launches $1 trillion AI, semiconductor and data‑center mega‑project

The South Korean government announced a three‑pronged $1 trillion mega‑project to boost semiconductors, physical AI and AI data‑centers. President Lee Jae‑myung said the initiative “will start a new history” for the country. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will each build two memory‑chip production bases in the new Gwangju Integrated Special City, a total investment of about 5,930 billion dollars, while SK, GS and Naver plan to spend roughly 474 billion dollars on large‑scale AI data‑centers across the nation by 2029.

To supply the needed workforce, the Ministry of Education aims to train more than 150,000 semiconductor specialists by 2031, expanding university departments, creating specialized colleges, and launching short‑term boot‑camps and AI graduate programs. The plan also includes support for physical‑AI education and the development of AI‑focused research hubs in partnership with industry.

The projects are designed to secure a “super‑gap” in semiconductor technology, develop a domestic AI ecosystem, and position South Korea as a global leader in next‑generation digital manufacturing.