sk telecom unleashes 1,000+ nvidia b200 gpus to power south korea's ai race
seoul, Wednesday, 6 August 2025.
sk telecom just launched a massive gpu cluster in south korea, featuring over 1,000 of nvidia’s brand-new b200 gpus. this deployment isn’t just about raw power; it’s a strategic move to tackle the gpu shortage and position sk telecom as a leader in the ai data center arena. named “haein,” after a temple housing the tripitaka koreana, the cluster symbolizes its role as a k-sovereign ai infrastructure. this positions sk telecom at the forefront of south korea’s ai ambitions.
Nvidia’s strategic advantage
This deployment serves as a crucial showcase for Nvidia’s latest B200 GPUs [1]. By alleviating supply constraints in South Korea, a key Asian market, Nvidia strengthens its market position [1]. SK Telecom’s adoption highlights the growing demand for advanced AI infrastructure [3]. Nvidia’s partnership with Penguin Solutions, an AI DC integrated solution company, further solidifies its competitive edge [1][4]. Penguin Solutions, a top Nvidia-certified construction partner, brings over 25 years of experience in high-performance computing solutions [1].
Revenue potential and market expansion
The GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) model is designed for large-scale AI model training and inference, opening new revenue streams for both SK Telecom and Nvidia [1][3]. SK Telecom’s B200 GPU cluster, the largest in Korea, is more advanced than its previous H100-based GPUaaS [1][5]. This advancement is expected to significantly expand the infrastructure available for the domestic AI industry [1]. SK Telecom’s focus on the AI data center market positions it to capitalize on the increasing demand for AI computing resources [1][7].
Government support and national ai strategy
The “Haein” cluster’s GPUaaS has been selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s AI-Computing Resource Utilization Base Strengthening Project [1]. This project aims to bolster the development of globally competitive national AI foundation models [1][6]. Government backing underscores the strategic importance of this initiative [1][7]. It also ensures that the cluster will be actively used in advancing South Korea’s AI capabilities [1]. This alignment with national AI strategy enhances Nvidia’s long-term prospects in the region [7].
Partnerships and technological innovation
SK Telecom’s collaboration with Supermicro ensures a rapid supply of GPU servers, crucial for timely deployment [1][4]. The company’s proprietary virtualization solution, ‘Petasus AI Cloud’, maximizes GPU cluster utilization by dynamically adjusting resources based on customer demand [1][4]. SK Telecom invested $200 million in Penguin Solutions last year, forming a task force to enhance synergy [4][6]. These technological advancements and strategic partnerships strengthen SK Telecom’s competitive advantage and Nvidia’s market reach [1][4].