South Korea has unveiled plans to secure 10,000 high-performance GPUs in 2025, reinforcing its position in the global AI race. The initiative aims to accelerate the country’s national AI computing infrastructure, as announced by acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday.
Strategic AI Investment Amid Rising Global Competition
Choi emphasized that AI competition is shifting from individual companies to nationwide innovation ecosystems, requiring governments to strengthen their AI capabilities. The South Korean government will collaborate with the private sector to secure the GPUs and operationalize the national AI computing center ahead of schedule.
Navigating U.S. AI Chip Restrictions
The move comes amid tightened U.S. regulations restricting AI chip exports to China, Russia, and Iran while exempting South Korea and 17 other nations. Despite these restrictions, South Korea has yet to finalize which GPU models it will purchase, with decisions expected by September 2025.
Nvidia Dominance & AI Hardware Rivalry
With Nvidia commanding 80% of the global GPU market, its chips remain the primary choice for AI model training and inference. However, OpenAI is developing its own AI silicon chips, while Chinese startup DeepSeek is exploring computationally efficient AI models to reduce dependence on U.S. technology.
South Korea’s aggressive push into AI infrastructure and computing power reflects its ambition to remain a key global AI player, securing advanced technologies amidst shifting geopolitical and technological landscapes.
