Expanding to meet demand for cloud and AI services
Alibaba Cloud has confirmed that a second data center will launch in South Korea by the end of this month (June 2025).
The company says that the expansion of its infrastructure is due to growing demand in the country for its cloud computing and AI services from local businesses.
Reports that Alibaba was nearing a launch in South Korea emerged earlier this month.
The company first announced plans for a South Korea cloud region in late 2021, opening its first data center in the country in March 2022.
"In line with the rapid advancement of AI-based technologies and increasing digital demand across industries, Alibaba Cloud has been continuously expanding its infrastructure in South Korea," said Yoon Yong-joon, country manager for South Korea at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.
"Through the launch of this second data centre, Alibaba Cloud will provide customers with more resilient and adaptable cloud environments, ultimately fostering AI innovation across various sectors and expanding the digital ecosystem.”
Customers of the cloud region include AI solutions provider Univa, and Lala Station, a live streaming company that has been using Alibaba Cloud since 2022.
“Thanks to Alibaba Cloud’s strong global infrastructure, our platform provides not only a rich and seamless online shopping experience for Korean consumers, but also for customers in Southeast Asia,” said Lee Cheol-ho, CEO of Lala Station. “With Alibaba Cloud’s support, we have been able to scale our operations and enhance engagement with our audience across diverse markets.”
The Chinese cloud company has been pushing ahead with global buildout plans this year, with CEO Eddie Wu confirming last month that the company intends to spend around $52.7 billion in establishing a "unified global cloud network."
At the time, Wu named Japan and South Korea among potential target markets. At present, Alibaba Cloud operates 87 availability zones across 29 regions. This year, it has launched a new region in Mexico, and a second data center in Thailand.
