SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - Naver’s chief executive, Choi Soo-yeon, urged greater institutional and policy support for artificial intelligence data centers, calling them essential to the next stage of digital development in South Korea.
Speaking Wednesday at the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, Choi emphasized that AI data centers had become foundational infrastructure for the global economy and said governments should treat them as strategic national assets.
“The AI we are developing at Naver connects the digital ecosystem more intricately, supporting users, creators and sellers,” she said, noting that the company has built a “full-stack” AI ecosystem that integrates infrastructure, data and services.
Choi said countries around the world were racing to build AI data centers as part of national industrial policy, and she called for South Korea to accelerate its own efforts through the government’s “AI highway” initiative. She proposed tax incentives, streamlined regulatory procedures and more flexible location rules to encourage investment in the sector.
She also voiced support for a special law under discussion in South Korea’s National Assembly that would create a legal framework to promote AI data center development, describing it as “a foundation for transitioning the national industry to AI.”
“AI should benefit everyone,” Choi said, adding that data centers — with their vast energy needs — must also address power supply and environmental sustainability challenges. “I hope this summit will mark a starting point for meaningful collaboration.”
Choi spoke alongside Matt Garman, chief executive of Amazon Web Services, and Simon Milner, vice president at Meta, in a session devoted to AI’s role in the global economy. Earlier in the week, she had appeared at the APEC Future Tech Forum to discuss Naver’s AI strategy and ecosystem.
In tandem with the summit, Naver is hosting a “Be Local Week” campaign in Gyeongju to showcase the city to foreign visitors. Choi visited the event site and met with local business owners to discuss regional growth and digital innovation.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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