Saemangeum AI Data Center: Hyundai Motor Group Specs
Status: Announced / Site Secured & Pre-Construction Phase | Location: 1,124,000 m² Master Site, Saemangeum Industrial Complex, Gunsan, Jeonbuk, South Korea
Project Overview
The Saemangeum AI Data Center is a flagship 500 MW hyperscale artificial intelligence infrastructure development by Hyundai Motor Group in Saemangeum, South Korea, forming part of a broader ₩9 trillion, approximately $6.7 billion, high-tech development initiative. The facility is planned to accommodate around 50,000 GPUs and is being specifically designed to support the growing computational requirements of Physical AI, where artificial intelligence systems interact with and operate within the physical world. The campus is expected to provide substantial computing capacity for training and developing autonomous driving models, supporting Hyundai Motor Group’s broader transition toward software-defined vehicles and advanced mobility technologies. Its high-performance infrastructure will also support robotics development, enabling researchers and engineers to train sophisticated models for perception, planning, control, and real-world robotic applications. In addition, the facility is intended to contribute to smart factory optimization by providing the computing resources required for industrial AI, automated production systems, digital twins, predictive analytics, and intelligent manufacturing processes. With 500 MW of planned power capacity, the campus represents a significant hyperscale computing deployment and is designed to accommodate dense GPU workloads that generate substantial electrical and thermal requirements. Its development in Saemangeum also aligns with South Korea’s broader efforts to establish large-scale digital and AI infrastructure capable of supporting domestic technology and industrial innovation. By bringing together high-density GPU computing, autonomous mobility, robotics, and smart manufacturing applications, the Saemangeum AI Data Center represents a shift from conventional cloud infrastructure toward purpose-built AI platforms supporting Physical AI ecosystems. The project could become a critical computing foundation for Hyundai Motor Group’s future mobility, robotics, and intelligent manufacturing strategies.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
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| Project Name | Saemangeum AI Data Center: Hyundai Motor Group Specs |
| Location | 1,124,000 m² Master Site, Saemangeum Industrial Complex, Gunsan, Jeonbuk, South Korea |
| Status | Announced / Site Secured & Pre-Construction Phase |
| Commissioning | Groundbreaking 2027; Phase 1 Delivery Targeted for Late 2029–2030 |
| Total IT Load | ~500.0 MW Total Critical IT Capacity |
| Total Capacity | Purpose-built Physical AI factory housing 50,000+ high-density NVIDIA GPUs |
| Tier Level | Tier III / Tier IV Equivalent Fault-Tolerant AI Hyperscale Architecture |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built Enterprise AI Supercomputing Cloud, Autonomous Mobility Hub & Physical AI Factory |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Gunsan-si |
| Population | ~265,000 (2025 estimate) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~1.8 million (Jeonbuk region estimate) |
| City GDP | Estimated USD 8–12 Billion |
| Per Capita Income | Approximately USD 30,000–40,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 2 City |
| Key Strengths | Major port city, manufacturing hub, automotive and renewable energy industries, strategic logistics location on the west coast, industrial complexes, export-oriented economy, strong transportation infrastructure |
Companies Involved
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| Developer / Operator | Hyundai Motor Group |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, Saemangeum Development Agency, NVIDIA, KEPCO |
| Construction Contractor | Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) |
| MEP Engineering | Hyundai AutoEver & Specialized Mission-Critical Engineering Partners |
| Network Connectivity | Carrier-neutral facility featuring path-diverse subterranean fiber entrance vaults, dedicated Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), and direct high-capacity fiber trunks connecting to Hyundai’s domestic and global R&D networks. |
| Power Infrastructure | Direct utility grid tie-in supported by behind-the-meter solar arrays and local green hydrogen power generation, backed by static 2N / N+1 UPS systems and backup generators. |
Technical Specifications
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| Power Capacity | ~600 MVA Dedicated Utility Substation Capacity |
| UPS Redundancy | Concurrently Maintainable Tier III 2N / N+1 Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | Closed-loop direct-to-chip (DLC) liquid cooling systems, rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx), and high-density dry coolers tailored for heavy GPU cluster heat dissipation. |
| Connectivity | Sub-millisecond optical dark fiber routes connecting Saemangeum directly to Hyundai Motor Group headquarters in Seoul, Namyang R&D Center, and key domestic manufacturing plants. |
| PUE Target | < 1.15 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | Integrated renewable energy matrix featuring on-site solar power generation and green hydrogen produced by a co-located 200 MW water electrolysis plant. |
Milestones
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| Announcement | February 2026 |
| Construction Start | 2027 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Late 2029 / 2030 |
| Full Buildout | 2030+ Multi-Phase Scale-Up |
Investment Details
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| Total Investment | ~₩5,800,000,000,000 KRW (~$4,350,000,000 USD dedicated to AI Data Center Infrastructure; ₩9T for broader Saemangeum site) |
| Funding | Corporate Capital Expenditure (Hyundai Motor Group) & Policy Finance (Korea Development Bank) |