en.Wedoany.com Reported - South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, Bae Kyung-hoon, along with the CEOs of the three major telecom companies—SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+—will hold their second meeting on the 22nd, focusing on discussions related to the promotion of the Artificial Intelligence Data Center (AIDC) industry.
According to industry sources, the meeting will be held on the 22nd at SK Telecom's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. Deputy Prime Minister Bae, along with SK Telecom CEO Jeong Jae-heon, KT CEO Park Yun-young, and LG U+ CEO Hong Beom-sik, are expected to attend in full. This marks the second meeting under a quarterly regular consultation mechanism established after the first meeting on April 9, further solidifying the routine communication channel after approximately three months.
This meeting is expected to primarily involve the government listening to industry opinions. The Ministry of Science and ICT will share policy directions related to AIDC and request continued investment from telecom companies. In turn, telecom companies may propose suggestions on matters necessary for their business operations. Previously, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced plans to foster Physical AI as a national core industry, part of the "Three Major Super Projects for Korea's Great Leap Forward," with a plan to invest 550 trillion won by 2029 in building core infrastructure AIDCs.
Telecom companies are also actively expanding their AIDC businesses. SK Telecom has stated its intention to invest approximately 1,000 trillion won at the group level in AIDC projects. KT recently announced an investment of 5 trillion won over the next five years to expand its AIDC capacity. LG U+ aims to secure 5 trillion won in orders by 2030 through its large-scale Paju AIDC project currently under construction in the capital area.
While acknowledging the government's intent to foster the AIDC industry, the telecom CEOs are expected to emphasize the importance of infrastructure such as electricity, land, and water supply. They are also likely to express concerns over core contentious issues, such as the exclusion of power procurement plans based on natural gas and nuclear power from the upcoming "AIDC Special Act," set to take effect in March next year.
During the first meeting in April, following a series of large-scale customer data breaches at telecom companies, the CEOs issued an apology to the public and released a "joint declaration" centered on strengthening information security, AI investment, and guaranteeing basic communication rights. The government at that time called for preventing recurrence and promoting investment. This second meeting shifts focus to the government proactively understanding industry trends and needs. An industry insider noted that regarding AIDC, the CEOs may directly suggest regulatory improvements to the government, and the extent to which the government adopts these suggestions will determine the direction and significance of future regular meetings. The schedule is subject to change based on the agendas of the National Assembly and the government.
