– Establishment of a performance-based mid- to long-term master plan, including the National AI Computing Center –
(Attached are two bird's-eye views of the AI Capital Computing Center and Jangseong Fine Data Center)
Jeollanam-do Province has declared 2026 as the first year of its leap forward as the "AI Capital of Korea," and will begin building a national artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and implementing AI transformation (AX) for key industries to simultaneously enhance industrial competitiveness and innovate services that residents can experience.
◇ AI's potential proven by unprecedented performance
Last year, South Jeolla Province emerged as a key hub for the Asia-Pacific AI industry by attracting a KRW 2 trillion "National AI Computing Center" and building a 20MW "Global AI Data Center" through a differentiated strategy combining AI and renewable energy.
In particular, following the government's policy of easing the concentration of data centers in the metropolitan area, Jangseong Fine Data Center, the first data center in South Jeolla Province, began construction in December 2025, making visible the decentralization of data infrastructure centered in the metropolitan area to local regions.
In addition, the foundation for structural transformation of regional industries was laid through the "AI Autonomous Manufacturing Pilot Project," which incorporated AI into key industries such as petrochemicals and steel, and the designation of Yeosu and Gwangyang as preemptive response areas for industrial crises.
◇ Establishing an AI Master Plan and Expanding Citizen-Friendly Welfare
This year, South Jeolla Province will establish the "Jeonnam AI Master Plan," a mid- to long-term strategy for the province's AI industry, and systematize the advancement of its strong industries, including manufacturing, energy, and agriculture and fisheries.
In particular, the Ministry of Science and ICT will actively respond to the 'AI Specialized Area (AHAP)' competition to discover leading projects such as elderly care and AI company support, and reflect these in national policies to solidify the region's status as a global energy and AI hub.
◇ Talent and infrastructure integration, technology hub in full swing
South Jeolla Province is establishing a "Big Tech AI Innovation Center" in collaboration with global big tech companies and supporting local universities to be selected for the "Advanced Industry Talent Development Bootcamp" and "AI-focused Universities," fostering talent tailored to industry needs. The province is also working with the Office of Education to designate AI Meisters.
The National AI Computing Center is currently under construction, with a target date of June 2026, and the OpenAI-SK Global AI Data Center is also slated for construction in the second half of 2026. The Jangseong Beneforce Data Center (200 MW) and Gangjin Beneforce Data Center (300 MW) are also undergoing administrative procedures, aiming for construction to begin in May and June 2026, respectively. The KEPCO KDN Energy-Specialized Data Center also signed a business agreement in January 2026.
Carbon-neutral thermal management technology for data center energy savings will be submitted to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy's public offering in the first half of 2026, with demonstrations scheduled to begin in the second half. A project to establish a data center performance evaluation system is also being pursued in parallel. South Jeolla Province plans to disseminate AI innovation results across the province through the "Province-22 City/County Policy Council."
◇ Accelerate the AX of key and primary industries
We are actively pursuing AX (Axes) in the three key industries of shipbuilding, steel, and petrochemicals. The Daebul Industrial Complex in Yeongam will establish a "Shipbuilding Industry AX Demonstration Center" and an "AI Autonomous Shipyard." The Gwangyang Bay Area and Yeosu National Industrial Complex will also transform into intelligent industrial complexes through AI-based process advancements.
In the agriculture and fisheries sector, 115 billion won will be invested in Muan by 2028 to build the "Agricultural AX Innovation Infrastructure," and an "AI Smart Fisheries Innovation Pilot Zone" will be established in Goheung. A specialized marine battery data hub platform will also be promoted through a MOF public offering.
We are also expanding AI services closely related to daily life. We are proposing to the government an "Ambient AI-based Digital Aging Hub" to strengthen care for seniors living alone, and we plan to fully launch the "AI Citizen Happiness Civil Complaint Service," which converts and analyzes telephone complaints into text in real time, in 2026.
Kim Ki-hong, Director of the Strategic Industry Bureau of South Jeolla Province, said, “South Jeolla Province has established a foundation for the transition to the AI industry by building core infrastructure such as data centers,” and added, “We will focus our administrative power on creating results that can be felt in industrial sites and the daily lives of residents.”
Yoon Yeon-hwa, Director of the Population and Youth Immigration Bureau of South Jeolla Province, said, “The residents are not tourists passing by, but precious citizens and neighbors who create the daily lives of South Jeolla Province together.” She added, “We will implement a people-centered population policy to realize a South Jeolla Province with a monthly population of 1 million people coming and going and to ensure that the warmth of the region remains.”