Samsung SDS emerged as the preferred bidder for South Korea’s government-wide hyperscale AI infrastructure project with an almost perfect score of 99.99 points, beating competitors LG CNS and KT in a key public sector tech initiative.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety selected the Samsung consortium, which includes Naver Cloud and Forty-Two Maru, to implement a secure generative AI platform for government officials. The ₩9 billion ($6.43 million) project will establish computing equipment, common data resources, and development environments for AI services across government departments.
Despite the relatively modest initial investment, industry observers consider the contract strategically significant as it positions Samsung SDS advantageously for future public sector AI implementations. Officials expect the project scope to expand dramatically to all government entities by 2027, potentially growing to hundreds of billions of won.
Samsung SDS received particularly high marks in specialized AI technological capabilities compared to rivals. The company’s previous experience implementing its FabriX generative AI platform at the Daegu Public-Private Partnership Center likely strengthened its bid. The project aligns with South Korea’s broader national AI strategy, which includes plans for a government-wide large language model by 2025.
