Prime Highlights
- South Korea and the UAE have signed a major strategic agreement to work together on the large-scale Stargate data center project.
- The partnership expands beyond technology supply to include talent development and academic cooperation, strengthening long-term collaboration.
Key Facts
- The first phase of the Stargate project plans to bring 200 MW of capacity online, with the full development expected to finish within three years.
- South Korea will support the project with an energy grid powered by nuclear, gas, and renewable sources, helping drive the massive data center initiative.
Background
South Korea has taken a significant step toward expanding its global technology footprint by joining the United Arab Emirates in the ambitious U.S.-backed Stargate project initiative aimed at constructing a 1-gigawatt AI data center hub in the Gulf region.
Officials from both nations have signed a strategic framework agreement that strengthens cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and cross-border investment. The move follows a high-level meeting between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, where key elements of the partnership were finalized.
Under the agreement, South Korea will help power the Stargate project by providing an energy grid that uses nuclear, gas, and renewable sources. The nation will also supply a steady pipeline of advanced semiconductors, reinforcing what is poised to become the world’s largest cluster of AI data centers outside the United States.
South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have already inked chip supply deals for the initiative, amplifying Korea’s industrial advantage. The Stargate project, launched earlier this year, is supported by major global tech companies like OpenAI, Oracle, Cisco, and SoftBank, along with backing from the U.S. government.
The partnership is also expected to expand beyond hardware, with plans to work together on training programs and academic exchanges to support future development in research and data center engineering.
Industry observers say the agreement strengthens Korea’s long-term goal of becoming Asia’s dominant semiconductor power, while giving the UAE dependable access to high-end chips and engineering expertise. The collaboration is also expected to deliver economic and geopolitical benefits for the Gulf region as it diversifies beyond oil.
The first phase of the Stargate project plans to bring 200 megawatts online, and the whole project is expected to be finished within three years.
Both countries have been steadily advancing their technology goals. The UAE’s locally developed systems are gaining recognition, while South Korea has sharply increased its tech-related investments this year to speed up improvements across the public sector.
As countries move quickly to build strong digital infrastructure, the partnership between South Korea and the UAE stands out as an important step toward shaping the future of large-scale global technology projects.
