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SK Telecom and SK Innovation signed separate memoranda of understanding with Vietnam’s Nghe An Province and the National Innovation Center (NIC) on potential collaboration across AI data center infrastructure, power supply, and broader AI ecosystem development in Vietnam
In sum – what to know:
Vietnam expansion – SK Group signed agreements in Vietnam focused on AI data centers, power infrastructure, and broader AI ecosystem development.
Data sovereignty – SK Telecom said rising demand for local AI infrastructure and data sovereignty is accelerating interest in domestic data center capacity.
AI full-stack – The Vietnam initiative could become the first overseas expansion of SK Group’s integrated AI infrastructure strategy.
Vietnam’s push to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure and local data center capacity is creating new opportunities for overseas technology investors, according to an SK Telecom spokesperson in comments to RCRTech, as SK Group signed a series of agreements aimed at supporting Vietnam’s AI ecosystem.
“Vietnam is a strategically crucial market, driven by the rapid growth of its digital economy and the government’s strong commitment to fostering AI development. The demand for AI infrastructure is increasing quickly, while the growing emphasis on data sovereignty is also accelerating the demand for local data centers,” the spokesperson said.
The comments came after SK Telecom and SK Innovation signed separate memoranda of understanding with Vietnam’s Nghe An Province and the National Innovation Center (NIC) during the recent Korea–Vietnam Business Forum in Hanoi.
The agreements focus on potential collaboration across AI data center infrastructure, power supply, and broader AI ecosystem development in Vietnam.
“This particular MOU is intended to establish a foundation for broader cooperation across areas such as AI DC development, power infrastructure, and global demand generation. The details will be further developed through future working-level discussions,” the spokesperson added.
As part of the initiative, SK Innovation and SK Telecom will explore the development of an AI data center and related infrastructure projects in Nghe An Province, a growing industrial and logistics hub in north-central Vietnam.
SK Innovation said it will evaluate energy-related cooperation opportunities linked to the Quynh Lap LNG Power Project, where the company was recently selected as a developer alongside Vietnam’s PV Power and local company NASU. The project includes a planned 1,500-MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant, LNG terminal and dedicated port infrastructure.
SK Telecom said it will review options for the development, construction, and operation of AI data centers in the region while also seeking to secure international customer demand.
The companies also signed a separate agreement with Vietnam’s NIC focused on AI ecosystem development, including AI data center deployment, energy infrastructure and policy support for the AI sector.
The NIC, established by the Vietnamese government in 2019, has become a central organization for AI and semiconductor initiatives in the country.
The Vietnam agreements also represent a potential first overseas expansion of SK Group’s broader “AI full-stack” strategy, which combines AI data centers, semiconductor capabilities, power infrastructure and AI services.
SK Group is currently developing a 100-MW hyperscale AI data center project in Ulsan, South Korea, targeted for completion in 2027, while also exploring AI infrastructure collaborations with global partners including OpenAI.
