South Korea Plans to Acquire 10,000 GPUs for AI Development
South Korea is ramping up its efforts to stay competitive in the global AI race by announcing plans to secure 10,000 high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) by the end of this year. This ambitious move comes as countries worldwide intensify their focus on AI development, with South Korea positioning itself to lead through collaboration between the public and private sectors. Acting President Choi Sang-mok emphasized that the competition for AI supremacy has evolved from corporate rivalries to national-level innovation battles.
The GPUs will be pivotal for South Korea’s national AI computing centre, expected to launch services soon. The government’s initiative aims to expedite the rollout of these services, further solidifying South Korea’s position as a significant player in AI innovation. With global competition mounting, securing advanced technology such as GPUs has become crucial for nations to stay ahead in artificial intelligence development.
This move comes shortly after the U.S. introduced regulations that restrict the export of AI chips and technology essential for advanced AI applications. While countries like Iran, China, and Russia face strict barriers, South Korea is among the 18 nations that are exempted from these export restrictions. This exception allows South Korea to acquire the necessary GPUs without the stringent limitations that other countries face, which could help accelerate the country’s AI ambitions.
South Korea has yet to finalize the exact GPU models and budget details but plans to do so by September 2025. A representative from the Ministry of Science and ICT confirmed that the government is in talks with private companies to ensure successful procurement. The global GPU market is largely dominated by Nvidia, which holds around 80% of the market share, making it a likely candidate for supplying these essential components.
While the U.S. remains a key supplier of high-performance GPUs, the emergence of companies like DeepSeek, a Chinese startup focusing on AI processors, adds an element of disruption to the market. South Korea’s decision to pursue large-scale GPU procurement comes at a time when leading tech companies like OpenAI are also looking to diversify their chip sources, with OpenAI developing its own in-house AI silicon to reduce dependence on Nvidia. This shift underscores the growing importance of GPUs in the AI race and the need for nations and companies to secure a reliable supply of advanced hardware.
SOURCE: REUTERS