By Ian Werther in News — 17 Mar 2026

Korea's Shinsegae, Reflection AI to build Korea's largest 250 MW renewables-powered data center

In San Francisco on the 16th local time, Shinsegae Group Chairman Jeong Yong-jin and Reflection AI CEO Misha Laskin joined officials in a ceremony to sign a strategic partnership MOU aimed at building Korea’s largest AI data center, through a joint venture with Reflection AI. The event was described in Korean media as part of a push to establish a “sovereign AI factory” in collaboration with the U.S. technology firm.

The plan centers on a 250-megawatt AI data center, projected as the largest of its kind in Korea. Industry estimates tied to that capacity suggest the facility would require a land area roughly seven to eight times the size of Yeouido, Seoul’s financial district, if powered entirely by solar energy. Officials emphasized the need for a site with reliable power and strong ties to renewable energy.

Detail of the sculpture “Silberne Frequenz” (Otto Piene, 1970/71, redesign 2012/14) at the LWL Museum for Art and Culture, Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, GermanyOtto Piene’s sculpture “Silberne Frequenz” (Silver Frequency) stands in front of the LWL Museum of Art and Culture in Münster. It was installed in 2014 as part of the museum’s renovation and the redesign of the forecourt.Piene, co-founder of the ZERO group, worked with light, movement, and immaterial effects. The sculpture consists of slender, silver-reflecting metal elements that come together to form a dynamic, wave-like shape. Its appearance changes depending on the incidence of light—reflections create the impression of vibration and energy. The title refers to frequencies as a symbol of exchange and communication.In the course of later redesigns of the square, the sculpture’s surroundings were rearranged; the work was preserved, but its effect in the space was slightly altered. The large “LWL” lettering on the forecourt was also discussed in this context. Critics perceived it as promotional and dominant over art and architecture, while supporters saw it as a clear identification of the museum’s location. The debate shows how sensitively the interplay between artwork, architecture, and public space is perceived. — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Possible locations named by participants include sites in the Honam region and the Yeongnam region, with Saemangeum in Jeollabuk-do singled out as a leading candidate. The Saemangeum area has drawn attention in recent investments and industrial plans, including a separate initiative by Hyundai Motor Group to develop AI data center facilities, industrial robotics, and solar power installations nearby.

The selection of the data center site is described as contingent on sufficient power supply and the ability to integrate renewable energy. Proponents highlighted a mix of solar and wind resources in candidate regions, noting that the local energy ecosystem policy in Korea emphasizes producing energy locally for local consumption. This lens shapes expectations about where a large, RE100-aligned data center could be feasible.

If the center is powered by renewables, the scale of solar capacity required would be substantial. Projected figures in the announcements point to about 1.8 gigawatts of solar capacity to meet RE100 targets for a 250 MW facility operating year-round, which would theoretically cover an area around 20 square kilometers—again, a figure used to illustrate the scale relative to Yeouido.

Screenshot from privacyguides.org showing the recommendations page for data and metadata redaction tools. — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

An ongoing collaboration is expected to advance quickly, with the joint venture between Shinsegae and Reflection AI anticipated to be formed as early as July. The project’s scale and renewable-energy framing reflect broader national priorities around AI infrastructure, energy security, and regional development.

For U.S. readers, the development matters beyond Korea because it signals a major investment in AI compute capacity tied to renewable energy. A large, renewables-powered data center in Korea could affect regional data flows and cloud compute availability, with potential implications for multinational tech supply chains, AI research partnerships, and cross-border technology collaboration between Korea and U.S. firms. It also highlights how advanced economies are balancing heavy energy demands from AI and data processing with climate and energy policies, a factor shaping markets, investment flows, and energy planning in the years ahead.

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