Hyundai Motor Group Advances Plans for Saemangeum AI Data Center

Hyundai Motor Group opened the HMG Saemangeum Office in Gunsan, Korea, to coordinate the construction and operation of an AI data center as part of its KRW 9 trillion investment in the Saemangeum AI Valley. The office, located at the Jeonbuk Institute of Automotive Convergence Technology’s Future Mobility Tech Center, will facilitate permitting, construction preparation and collaboration with local partners. Hyundai Motor Group’s broader Saemangeum AI Valley project includes an AI data center, robotics manufacturing cluster, clean hydrogen production and solar power generation, aiming to create an integrated industrial ecosystem.

The Group established a special-purpose company (SPC) in September 2026 for Phase 1 of a 200-megawatt renewable solar power project to supply electricity to the AI data center. Two additional SPCs are planned for November 2026, with one overseeing data center construction and infrastructure and the other securing high-performance GPUs and providing GPU services. Hyundai Motor Group is also discussing technical cooperation and potential financial support with external partners, subject to further review.

Construction of the AI data center is targeted to begin in March 2027, with services planned to start in early 2030. The project aims to support large-scale data accumulation, training and validation for autonomous driving and Physical AI development. Hyundai Motor Group held a ceremony marking the establishment of the HMG Saemangeum Office, attended by local and regional officials including Jeonbuk State Gov. Won-taek Lee and Gunsan Mayor Jae-jun Kim.

Hyundai Motor Group’s Saemangeum AI Valley integrates multiple projects, including an AI data center, robotics manufacturing, clean hydrogen production via water electrolysis, solar power generation and an AI hydrogen city. The Group’s KRW 9 trillion investment plan coordinates these initiatives to build an integrated industrial ecosystem in Saemangeum, Gunsan, Korea.