AI TRENDS | South Korea Considers Extending Government GPU Support Program

South Korea is considering extending a government program that secures GPU resources for AI computing, as demand for advanced GPUs rises. According to Odaily, on July 7, industry sources said the Ministry of Science and ICT is assessing whether major South Korean cloud service providers can build additional GPU capacity, with the goal of extending the “AI Computing Resource Utilization Infrastructure Enhancement Project.” Under the program, the government uses budget funds to purchase GPUs, deploys them in cloud providers’ data centers, and supports their use across industry, academia, and research. The government allocated a budget on the scale of 1 trillion won last year and 2 trillion won this year, securing more than 20,000 GPUs. The program was originally scheduled to end this year. However, with demand increasing for advanced resources such as Nvidia’s next-generation Vera Rubin GPUs, the government is preparing broader measures that include improving data center efficiency and securing additional space. It has reportedly applied to the budget authority for additional funding outside existing caps to support GPU procurement. Industry estimates said that, considering this year’s GPU budget and the government’s intentions, next year’s budget could reach up to about 4 trillion won. Industry views cited in the report said that installation space, rather than GPU supply itself, may be the key factor for the program’s success, because operating thousands of high-performance GPUs requires substantial power and advanced cooling systems. The report added that installation space held by South Korean companies is nearing saturation.