Gyeongbuk Province to Establish 'Gyeongbuk-style Cloud Data Center'

Production Induced 117 Billion KRW, Added Value 50.9 Billion KRW, Employment Effect of 1,243 People

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] On the 10th, Gyeongbuk Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for investment to establish a cloud data center together with Yecheon County, KT, POSCO, and POSTECH.

The signing ceremony was attended by Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province; Kim Hak-dong, Mayor of Yecheon County; Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division; Kim Hyung-dong, Member of the National Assembly; Shin Dae-ho, Head of POSCO Venture Fund Group; Kim Sang-woo, Director of POSTECH Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation; and Lee Jae-hyuk, President of Gyeongbuk Development Corporation.

As part of the digital platform activation agreement signed with KT in June last year to lead the 4th Industrial Revolution, efforts will be combined to build a cloud data center, establish a quantum computer cloud service infrastructure, create a data ecosystem and support companies, expand employment of local talent and participation of local companies, and operate a data academy.

KT plans to invest 116 billion KRW in the provincial government’s new city to build a cloud data center with a total area of 17,150㎡, consisting of 5 floors above ground and 2 floors underground, and to provide services starting in 2025.

Cloud is a service that provides servers created externally, and a cloud data center gathers equipment necessary for providing information technology services such as servers, networks, and data storage devices to be managed integrally 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Each institution and company will collaborate from the research stage of quantum computers, which are future-oriented cutting-edge computers capable of ultra-high-speed computation by utilizing quantum-specific properties such as entanglement and superposition.

POSTECH’s Extended Quantum Computer Technology Convergence Platform Center will provide technical support, POSCO will operate it, and KT will support cloud services to provide quantum computer cloud services for scientists, researchers, and developers.

KT plans to hire about 40 new employees to carry out the project. Priority participation opportunities will be provided to local companies, and about 150 people will work in cooperating companies in the information and communication and software industries and related upstream and downstream industries.

Gyeongbuk Province expects effects such as generating 117 billion KRW in production, 50.9 billion KRW in added value, and employment of 1,243 people through this agreement.

Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division, said, “KT is transforming from a Telco to a DIGICO in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution,” adding, “We will contribute to discovering local jobs and fostering local companies through the establishment of a Gyeongbuk-type cloud data center.”

Shin Dae-ho, Head of POSCO Venture Fund Group, said, “Based on the data center, we will support venture companies’ data utilization for the smart city transformation of basic local governments.”

Kim Hak-dong, Mayor of Yecheon County, said, “We will do our best to provide administrative and financial support and attract related companies for the successful construction of the data center.”

Governor Lee Cheol-woo said, “Attracting a data center, a core infrastructure of the 4th Industrial Revolution, will be a great force for Gyeongbuk to lead future new industries,” adding, “We will actively work not only on data-driven provincial government innovation but also on discovering win-win models between the data center and regional strategic industries.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.