PDG Launches US$700m South Korea Data Centre Expansion

Princeton Digital Group (PDG) has announced a major move into South Korea as the operator sets out a large-scale data centre plan built around a 500MW roadmap and US$700m of investment. 

The company positions this as a core part of its AI and cloud strategy for the Asia Pacific region, with the first phase centred on a 48MW campus in Incheon.

First campus anchors a 500MW build plan

South Korea becomes PDG’s seventh market following Singapore, Japan, India, Indonesia, China and Malaysia.

The company has outlined its intention to develop multiple campuses that add up to 500MW in total to serve the growing AI and cloud demand profile in the country.

The first build is the SE1 campus in Greater Seoul, a 48MW site located in Incheon about forty minutes from Central Seoul.

SE1 spans a land area of about 11,000m² and PDG is aiming for live service in early 2028.

Power for the facility is fully contracted and construction begins later this month. 

The build uses a US$700m investment model and the company positions SE1 as a hyperscale and AI-ready site with high-density halls, advanced cooling systems and energy-efficient design aligned with its Net Zero by 2030 and RE100 commitments.

These commitments relate to carbon reduction and renewable energy sourcing at a large scale.

PDG notes that the campus design responds to AI workload intensity through higher rack densities, cooling systems tailored for sustained thermal loads and electrical layouts that support growth across multiple phases.

SE1 forms the anchor for PDG’s 500MW strategy in the country.

Rangu Salgame, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of PDG, says: "South Korea is one of Asia Pacific's most advanced digital economies and a critical market for cloud and AI hyperscalers. 

“Our entry is part of a long-term plan to be a significant provider of AI and cloud data centre capacity in the country.

"With this expansion, PDG continues to strengthen its position as one of the top pan-Asia operators serving the world's largest technology customers."

Navigating a complex data centre market

PDG explains how South Korea offers one of Asia’s most mature digital economies but that the market also presents complex development conditions. 

These include land constraints, grid limitations and strict permitting frameworks.

The operator highlights that its move into the country demonstrates its ability to work within high-barrier markets based on a multi-pronged entry strategy and experience across diverse Asian geographies.

The organisation notes that power availability and approval pathways form two of the most difficult elements of data centre development in South Korea.

The fully contracted power position at SE1 is presented as evidence of early-stage coordination with energy suppliers to meet long-term load requirements.

PDG states that this helps ensure grid alignment for the wider 500MW plan.

The company also highlights that backing from large blue-chip investors supports its ability to execute long-horizon capital projects.

PDG frames this as essential for hyperscale data centre builds that require investment certainty, energy contracts and long-term land acquisition programmes.

The organisation notes that this in turn helps attract global cloud and AI customers that need stable and scalable sites for future growth.

Portfolio growth strengthens regional position

With SE1 included, PDG’s portfolio now totals more than 1.2GW of IT power across more than 20 campuses in seven countries.

The operator positions this as evidence of its role as a trusted partner for global hyperscalers in key development corridors across the Asia Pacific region.

PDG positions its expansion in South Korea as part of a pan-regional strategy that sets out a consistent campus model designed for scale, high-density operations and energy efficiency.

This approach is built to accommodate AI training clusters, cloud availability zones and high bandwidth interconnection as each market grows.

The operator notes that the Incheon site plays a strategic role by linking Greater Seoul’s strong connectivity ecosystem with a campus footprint that avoids the severe land and power constraints seen in the centre of the city.

SE1 therefore provides a platform for hyperscale organisations that seek metro proximity while also requiring expansion room for AI compute.

PDG confirms that early works in Incheon mark the start of a broader national plan that positions South Korea as a core part of its Asia Pacific footprint.

The company states that this plan supports its aim to deliver regional scale for AI and cloud providers through a standardised, multi-campus development model designed for long-term growth.