After Completing Permits, 1.2-GW Donghae AI Data Center Enters Construction Phase

【Financial News, Donghae—Kim Ki-seop, Staff Writer】With the first 100-MW-class facility in the planned 1.2-GW Donghae AI Data Center Campus clearing the building-permit hurdle, the construction of AI infrastructure being developed as Asia's largest is now on the verge of breaking ground.
According to Donghae-si on the 6th, the city finalized the building permit for the AI data center applied for by Donghae AI Third Campus on the 1st. The city had reviewed the permit after consulting with relevant departments and agencies in areas including construction, the environment and urban planning. With the permit granted, all initial administrative procedures for GS Group's Donghae AI Data Center Campus project in Donghae have been completed.
The first data center will be built on a site of approximately 68,000 square meters within Bukpyeong 2 General Industrial Complex. The building will have two aboveground floors and a gross floor area of about 35,000 square meters. It will also include supporting infrastructure needed to operate the data center, such as a substation, electrical rooms and emergency generators. GS Group aims to begin construction this year and complete the facility in the second half of 2028.
The project passed through several hurdles before receiving the permit. The industrial complex's management plan was revised to accommodate the data center, and major procedures, including KEPCO's power system impact assessment, were also completed. The permit is seen as significant because the project, which had focused mainly on planning and regulatory approvals, has now moved into the preparation stage for actual construction.
As the artificial intelligence industry expands rapidly, demand for data centers is growing as well. With a large-scale AI data center infrastructure being established in Donghae, attention is focused on the potential impact it could have on the region's industrial structure and the broader economy.
Meanwhile, Donghae-si plans to inspect whether construction is carried out in accordance with relevant laws and the design documents after groundbreaking. The city also intends to continuously monitor compliance with permit conditions and matters agreed upon through consultations with relevant agencies, including those related to safety, the environment and transportation.

[email protected] Kim Ki-seop Reporter