SK Group signs MoUs to build Vietnam’s AI ecosystem

Details: John Tanner; Category: Data Centres & Networks; 27 April 2026; 591 views

South Korean conglomerate SK Group said on Friday it has signed two MoUs with the Vietnamese government to develop core AI infrastructure to build the country's AI industry ecosystem.

Group subsidiaries SK Innovation and SK Telecom signed an MoU with the provincial government of Nghe An in north-central Vietnam to jointly explore developing an AI data centre (AIDC) and related infrastructure projects in the region.

Under the MoU, SK Innovation will explore broad cooperation opportunities in energy solutions, including supplying electricity to the data centre and building dedicated generation facilities connected to Nghe An’s Quynh Lap LNG Power Project, for which it was selected as the developer under a separate agreement signed in February this year.

SK Telecom plans to review options for developing, building, and operating the AIDC while also seeking to secure global demand. The Nghe An provincial government agreed to discuss support measures to help advance the partnership, including permits, administrative procedures, inter-ministerial coordination and incentive programs.

Meanwhile, SK Telecom and SK Innovation also signed another MoU with Vietnam's National Innovation Center (NIC) to support the development of the country's AI ecosystem.

Under that agreement, SK Telecom will support AI ecosystem development in Vietnam through technology collaboration and investment promotion, while SK Innovation will provide energy solutions for AIDCs and related industries.

The NIC said it will provide institutional support, such as coordinating with government agencies, improving regulations and developing policy, as well as also identifying and connecting local partners to facilitate the project’s execution. SK Group previously contributed US$30 million toward the establishment of the NIC in 2019.

"Korean-style AI full-stack" model

SK Group said the MoUs – both of which were signed at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum in Hanoi last Thursday – lay the groundwork for the first overseas expansion of its "Korean-style AI full-stack" model, linking AI model development and validation with the rollout of industry-specific AI services.

SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won has been pushing to transform the group into a AI full-stack provider by leveraging its strengths across the AI value chain, including semiconductors, data centres, power and energy solutions, and AI services.

The group has been building that stack via the development of its 100MW hyperscale AI data centre in Ulsan, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. SK Group intends to build the most efficient AI infrastructure model on the market that can be exported overseas – starting with Vietnam.

“AI will play a critical role in Vietnam's continued growth,” Chay said at a business roundtable ahead of last week’s forum. “SK Group has a portfolio spanning the entire AI ecosystem – from energy and semiconductors to AI models and applications – and we will leverage this to make tangible contributions to the development of Vietnam's AI industry.”

“AI data centres are key infrastructure that underpins the growth of the AI industry. Building on SK Group's accumulated capabilities in the development, construction, and operation of AI data centres, we will further refine a collaboration model tailored to the Vietnamese market,” said SK Telecom president and CEO Jung Jai-hun.