South Korean internet giant NAVER is pushing its artificial intelligence data center capacity to 200 megawatts by 2028. The expansion is backed by a $10 billion investment from chipmaker NVIDIA and asset manager Brookfield Asset Management.
The investment behind the build-out
NVIDIA and Brookfield are putting $10 billion into the project. That money will fund the scaling of NAVER's existing AI data center in South Korea. The facility is expected to reach 200 MW of power capacity within the next four years. For context, a typical large data center runs around 30 to 50 MW. This puts NAVER's site among the biggest in the region.
NAVER already operates a major data center in Chuncheon, but the company hasn't said whether this expansion happens there or at a new location. The 200 MW target suggests a massive increase in computing power, likely to support NAVER's own AI models and cloud services.
Why the capacity jump matters
AI workloads are power-hungry. Training large language models and running inference at scale requires thousands of GPUs, which in turn need lots of electricity and cooling. By locking in a 200 MW facility, NAVER is betting that demand for AI compute in South Korea will keep climbing. The company already runs the country's dominant search engine, e-commerce platform, and messaging app. It also has its own AI assistant, Clova, and competes with global players in cloud services.
NVIDIA's involvement is notable. The chipmaker doesn't usually invest directly in data center real estate. But it has been pushing its GPU infrastructure into partner facilities through programs like DGX Cloud. Brookfield, a major infrastructure investor, brings experience in building and operating large-scale power and data center assets.
The $10 billion figure covers the full build-out. It's not clear how much of that comes from each partner or what NAVER itself contributes. The company has not disclosed a breakdown.
What happens next
NAVER aims to hit the 200 MW mark by 2028. Construction timelines and permitting will determine whether the project stays on schedule. The company hasn't announced a specific groundbreaking date or named a contractor. For now, the 2028 target is the only concrete deadline.
