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SK Telecom Launches SK Horizon, a New AI Data Center Infrastructure Company, with $2.2B Investment from KKR and IMM

By: IDCNOVARegion: East Asia
SK Telecom has officially launched SK Horizon, a newly formed company dedicated to AI data center infrastructure, backed by an initial investment of KRW 3.08 trillion ($2.2 billion) from global investment firm KKR and the IMM Investment-Stonebridge consortium. The move marks a significant step in South Korea's push to expand its digital infrastructure amid surging demand for AI computing capacity.

SK Horizon will be carved out of SK Broadband, a subsidiary of SK Telecom, through a corporate split that will result in two separate entities: the new AI-focused infrastructure company and a remaining SK Broadband that will continue to focus on fixed-line, media, and enterprise services. The restructuring is designed to sharpen operational focus and accelerate decision-making in the rapidly evolving AI data center market.

With the split, SK Horizon inherits eight operational data centers across South Korea, located in Seocho, Bundang, Gasan, Centum, Yangju, Pangyo, and two additional facilities in Ilsan. The company also has several AI data centers under construction and plans to pursue a phased expansion of its submarine cable infrastructure, positioning itself as a comprehensive digital backbone provider.

The launch of SK Horizon follows the creation last month of SK Hyper, a dedicated data center unit seeded with $508 million. Under the new structure, SK Telecom will oversee the group's overall AI data center strategy, while SK Horizon will focus on scaling infrastructure to 318MW of capacity, and SK Hyper will concentrate on developing gigawatt-scale projects. This layered approach is intended to streamline capital allocation and strengthen the group's competitiveness in high-growth AI infrastructure.

KKR and the IMM consortium will each take significant equity stakes in SK Horizon, holding 29 percent and 20 percent respectively, while SK Telecom retains a controlling 51 percent share. Kim Seong-soo, who will serve as CEO of both SK Broadband and SK Horizon—pending final approval—said the governance overhaul is a proactive response to the demands of the AI data center sector. "This governance restructuring is a proactive measure aimed at strengthening expertise and enabling faster execution in the AIDC business," Seong-soo said. "As an AIDC infrastructure company, we will continue to scale up SK Horizon and grow it into Korea's leading data center operator."

Industry analysts view the move as a strategic effort to attract external investment while maintaining control over critical digital assets. By separating the capital-intensive data center business from SK Broadband's traditional telecom operations, SK Telecom aims to unlock value and position SK Horizon for future growth in both domestic and international markets. The partnership with KKR and IMM also signals growing investor confidence in the long-term demand for AI-driven infrastructure across Asia.