Jang Jae-hoon: "Saemangeum 9 trillion won investment proceeding without issues"…Requests support for AI Valley

Hyundai Motor Group is set to fully launch its "AI Valley" project, which involves a 9 trillion won investment in Saemangeum. Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon of Hyundai Motor Group requested support, stating that if backed by the government and the National Assembly, it could lead to additional corporate investments and the creation of jobs and an industrial ecosystem.

Vice Chairman Jang attended the "North Jeolla Saemangeum On-site Meeting" held on the 29th at the Saemangeum Energy Convergence Complex Comprehensive Support Center in North Jeolla Province, hosted by the Democratic Party of Korea's Mega-Growth Special Committee, and explained the progress of the Saemangeum AI Valley project.

Vice Chairman Jang said, "Since announcing its 9 trillion won investment in Saemangeum, Hyundai Motor Group has been proceeding with its planned projects without any issues," adding, "We will make Saemangeum a future industrial hub for South Korea where renewable energy, AI data centers, robotics, and the hydrogen industry grow together."

He continued, "If supported by the interest and assistance of the government and the National Assembly, more corporate investments will flow into Saemangeum, leading to the creation of new jobs and an industrial ecosystem," adding, "This can be connected to results that enhance South Korea's future industrial competitiveness."

The Saemangeum AI Valley is a project aimed at creating a future industrial ecosystem by linking renewable energy, AI data centers, robotics, and the hydrogen industry. In February last year, Hyundai Motor Group announced plans to invest approximately 9 trillion won in a 1,124,000-square-meter site in Saemangeum to build AI data centers, a robot manufacturing and parts cluster, an electrolysis plant, solar power generation facilities, and an AI hydrogen city.

By investment plan, the largest allocation of 5.8 trillion won was designated for AI data centers. This is followed by 1.3 trillion won for solar power generation facilities, 1 trillion won for the electrolysis plant, and 400 billion won each for the robot manufacturing and parts cluster and the AI hydrogen city. Hyundai Motor Group aims to transition from a business structure centered on finished vehicles to a future technology company focused on robotics, AI, and energy solutions through this initiative.

Subsequently, Hyundai Motor Group established a dedicated organization and organized promotion systems for each field of AI, robotics, and hydrogen. It has also participated in the government-led "Saemangeum and North Jeolla Grand Innovation Task Force (TF)" to discuss methods for permits, policy support, and infrastructure development. In September last year, it also established a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for solar power to secure large-scale energy supply.

The group is also working in parallel on cultivating local talent to respond to the spread of physical AI. Hyundai Motor Group is consulting with Jeonbuk National University on establishing a contract department and discussing plans to convert education programs at Meister High Schools and specialized high schools with the North Jeolla Provincial Office of Education and other bodies.

The meeting was attended by Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea; Lee Gwang-jae, senior vice chairman of the Mega-Growth Special Committee; Kwon Chil-seung, executive vice chairman; Lee Won-taek, Governor of North Jeolla Province; Moon Seong-yo, head of the Saemangeum Development Agency; and others. The Democratic Party's Mega-Growth Special Committee has designated semiconductors, AI data centers, and physical AI as its three major mega-projects and is discussing policy support measures for national balanced development.