Hanoi:<Text>

SK Group announced its partnership with a Vietnamese provincial government and a national innovation center to foster an artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem in Vietnam, aiming to support the country's growth strategy.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during a business forum held alongside the South Korea-Vietnam summit talks in Hanoi, SK Innovation Co. and SK Telecom Co. signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the north-central province of Nghe An and the National Innovation Center (NIC). SK Group anticipates that this collaboration will establish the foundation for its first overseas expansion of a full-stack AI model. This model encompasses the construction of AI data centers, stable power supplies, development and validation of AI models, and deployment of industry-specific AI services.

Under the MOU with Nghe An Province, SK Innovation, SK Telecom, and the provincial government will jointly investigate the construction of an AI dat a center and related infrastructure projects. Nghe An Province is recognized as a significant growth region in Vietnam, with a concentration of manufacturing, energy, and high-tech industries around major port and logistics infrastructure.

In a separate MOU with Vietnam's NIC, the companies agreed to cooperate in building AI data centers, developing energy infrastructure, and establishing policy and institutional frameworks to promote the AI industry. Founded in 2019, the NIC is a cornerstone of Vietnam's innovation-led growth strategy.

Chey Tae-won, during a business roundtable preceding the forum, stated, "AI will play a pivotal role in Vietnam's sustained growth." He added that SK would significantly contribute to the development of Vietnam's AI industry by utilizing its portfolio capabilities across the AI ecosystem, including energy, semiconductors, AI models, and application services.