Amazon Web Services to Invest $5 Billion in South Korea to Boost AI Infrastructure by 2031

Amazon Web Services (AWS) will invest at least $5 billion in South Korea by 2031 to establish advanced artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, according to the country’s presidential office. The announcement came after AWS CEO Matt Garman met with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju.

The investment is part of a broader initiative involving seven global firms that collectively pledged $9 billion over the next five years to strengthen South Korea’s technology ecosystem. President Lee emphasized that AWS’s investment would significantly enhance the nation’s AI industry, aligning with South Korea’s goal to become one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses.

During the meeting, Garman highlighted AWS’s global commitment to AI expansion, stating, “At AWS, we’ve invested and committed to an additional $40 billion across 14 non-U.S. APEC economies between now and 2028.” He added that these investments will generate an estimated $45 billion in U.S. GDP and deliver widespread economic benefits throughout APEC member economies.

AWS’s latest pledge builds upon its June announcement of a $5 billion collaboration with South Korea’s SK Group to construct the country’s largest data center. This move reflects AWS’s growing presence in the Asia-Pacific region, where it has also announced major investments in Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

The strategic expansion underscores Amazon’s mission to drive AI innovation and cloud infrastructure development globally. By strengthening data capabilities in South Korea, AWS aims to empower local businesses, accelerate digital transformation, and support the nation’s ambitions in the global AI race.