The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, was a showcase of the country’s rapid rise as an AI hub for the region, driven by world-class chipmakers and a robust, expanding network of data centers. The summit brought together titans of the tech world — including SK Group, OpenAI, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix — to discuss the urgent need for global collaboration in AI infrastructure.[1]

According to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Korea is uniquely positioned as a “testbed” for resolving global bottlenecks in AI infrastructure, a sector still dominated by massive U.S. and Chinese investments. Chey argued that while these giants dwarf other nations in terms of scale, true progress in AI will require both technological independence and trusted international cooperation.[1]

The forum highlighted milestones in Korea’s AI journey, such as:

- AWS and SK Group investing $5 billion to build a large-scale data center in Ulsan.

- Samsung Electronics and SK hynix partnering with OpenAI to supply memory chips for the $500 billion Stargate project, which includes building next-gen data centers along Korea’s coasts.

- Korea’s government tripling its 2026 AI budget to 10.1 trillion won ($7 billion), signaling a strong commitment to the sector.[1]

Senior Presidential Secretary Ha Jung-woo stressed that building a full-stack AI ecosystem is impossible for any nation alone. He emphasized that semiconductor advances rely on Korea and Taiwan, while cloud and networking capacity is led by the U.S.. These cross-border partnerships now form the backbone of ambitious infrastructure plans spanning government, industry, and global tech leaders.[1]

Korea’s position as a 3rd player in the global AI race — alongside the U.S. and China — is increasingly credible. The country combines world-leading memory chip innovation with aggressive investments in cloud computing and next-generation data centers.[1]

- Unlike the inward-looking AI strategies of China and the U.S., Korea openly pursues global collaboration and “technological self-reliance,” aiming to both advance its own sovereign AI capabilities and serve as a testbed for international cooperation.[1]

- The state’s target of controlling 35,000 GPUs by 2027, with private sector plans adding another 15,000, would bring Korea’s total computing infrastructure to 50,000 GPUs – a tangible sign of its readiness for large-scale AI projects.[1]

- Partnerships with global giants like AWS, OpenAI, and BlackRock illustrate Korea’s unique ability to mediate and integrate technologies across borders and sectors.[1]

Speakers at the summit repeatedly underscored that sovereign AI competitiveness will hinge on the sophistication of a nation’s ecosystem and the effectiveness with which infrastructure is turned into real-world value. Korea’s “agentic AI” initiatives and upcoming investments in physical AI suggest a future in which the country can compete on the world stage not just as a supplier, but as an innovator.[1]

Korea’s ascent in the AI arena is no longer theoretical — through bold state investment and strategic global partnerships, it is creating a multilayered, resilient ecosystem that stands as a counterweight to the dominant models of the U.S. and China. With openness and cooperation at the core of its strategy, Korea is poised to be a decisive force in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.[1]

[1] From SK to OpenAI and AWS, global firms tout AI collaboration ... https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-10-28/business/industry/From-OpenAI-to-AWS-global-firms-tout-AI-collaboration-at-APEC-CEO-Summit/2430893