OpenAI, Samsung SDS and SK Telecom set to start building data centres in Korea in March, minister says (updated)

Samsung SDS Co

11/02/2026 06:16

Adds company comment in paragraphs 3-4

SEOUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) - OpenAI, Samsung SDS 018260.KS and SK Telecom 017670.KS are preparing to start construction of data centres in South Korea in March, Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said at a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday in Seoul.

South Korea said in October that the U.S. startup planned to set up joint ventures with the Korean firms to build two data centres in the country with an initial capacity of 20 megawatts.

SK Telecom told Reuters that it is in talks with OpenAI to build a data centre in southwestern South Korea, with the timing for starting construction still under review.

Samsung SDS declined to comment.

 (Reporting by Heejin Kim and Hyunjoo Jin
Editing by Ed Davies)

 ((Heejin.Kim@thomsonreuters.com;))