S&P Warns Korea's $869B Data Center Boom May Pressure Credit Ratings

S&P Global Ratings said South Korea's plan to invest about 1,200 trillion won ($869 billion) in data centers by 2035 is the most aggressive in Asia-Pacific. SK Telecom, responsible for 15 of 18.4 GW of expansion, faces the heaviest burden, with external financing likely and credit downgrades a growing risk.

• Korea to invest about 1,200 trillion won in data centers by 2035
• Building 1 GW of capacity costs up to 70 trillion won
• SK Telecom accounts for 15 of 18.4 GW of expansion
• Combined cash reserves of SKT, KT, Naver and GS total 17.9 trillion won