SK텔레콤은 SK브로드밴드의 데이터센터와 해저케이블을 분할하여 AI 인프라 부문을 재편하고 있다.
SK Telecom announced a comprehensive governance restructuring to strengthen its artificial intelligence infrastructure capabilities. The company will divide its wholly owned subsidiary SK Broadband into a surviving entity and a newly established company named SK Horizon. Based on the book value of net assets, the spin-off ratio will be set at 0.8351323 for the surviving company and 0.1648677 for the newly established company. The surviving SK Broadband will concentrate on driving AX-based innovation to enhance competitiveness across its fixed-line, media, and enterprise businesses, while actively identifying new growth models.
To finance large-scale expansion, SK Telecom has entered into a definitive agreement for a combined KRW 3.08 trillion equity investment from funds managed by KKR and the IMM Investment-Stonebridge consortium. Following the completion of all investment phases, KKR and the IMM consortium will hold 29 percent and 20 percent stakes in SK Horizon, respectively, while SK Telecom retains management control as the largest shareholder with a 51 percent stake. KKR contributes over USD 100 billion in infrastructure assets under management, drawing primarily from its Asia Pacific infrastructure strategy. The IMM consortium unites IMM Investment, which manages over USD 7.5 billion across venture capital and infrastructure, and Stonebridge Capital, which oversees approximately KRW 3.6 trillion in cumulative assets.
Under the restructured framework, SK Telecom will oversee group-wide AI data center strategy and collaborate with global technology partners. SK Horizon will manage infrastructure operations and expansion, targeting a total capacity of 318 MW across eight operating facilities in Seocho, Ilsan, Bundang, Gasan, Centum, Yangju, and Pangyo, alongside new sites in Ulsan and Guro, while pursuing phased growth in essential submarine cable networks. Concurrently, SK Hyper, established last July, will focus on developing gigawatt-scale projects, aiming for a phased 5 GW opening in 2029 and expansion toward 15 GW by 2035. CEO Kim Seong-soo is expected to concurrently serve as chief executive of both the surviving SK Broadband and SK Horizon following board approval early next year, with full procedural completion targeted for the first quarter of next year.
Addressing the strategic shift, Kim Seong-soo stated, This governance restructuring is a proactive measure aimed at strengthening expertise and enabling faster execution in the AIDC business. As an AIDC infrastructure company, we will continue to scale up SK Horizon and grow it into Korea's leading data center operator. Keith Kim, Partner at KKR, remarked, We are pleased to support SKT as it establishes SK Horizon and expands its AI data center infrastructure platform in Korea. SK Horizon brings together an established operating platform, capacity under development and a strong strategic partner. Korea's advanced digital ecosystem and growing demand for AI capacity provide a strong foundation for SK Horizon's next phase of growth. Kim Byung-hun, Head of Infrastructure at IMM Investment, added, AI data centers and submarine cables will be among the core infrastructure assets shaping Korea's digital sovereignty and industrial competitiveness going forward. By investing in SK Horizon on the back of long-term capital from Korea's leading institutional investors, the IMM Investment-led consortium aims to build a sustainable growth structure that combines the capital strength of our global partner with the stability of domestic capital.