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Naver headquarters. / Naver

Naver Cloud has secured the rights to utilize 1,576 graphics processing units (GPUs) through a government-led project to build artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure.

According to the Financial Supervisory Service's electronic disclosure system on the 25th, Naver Cloud signed an agreement with the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), acquiring the usage rights for 1,576 GPUs—representing its own share for private utilization among the total volume constructed under the government GPU project. The acquisition amount stands at 245.7 billion won, which accounts for 10.55% of the company's total assets at the end of last year.

These usage rights were granted as compensation for executing the government's "Project to Strengthen the Foundation for Utilizing AI Computing Resources (GPU Acquisition, Construction, and Operation Support)." Instead of merely installing government-purchased GPUs in its own data centers and supporting their operation until 2031, Naver Cloud secured the right to independently utilize a portion of those GPUs during the agreement period.

Previously, Naver Cloud, alongside Samsung SDS and Elice Group, was selected as the operator for the government's GPU acquisition, construction, and operation support project, valued at approximately 2.08 trillion won. The total volume allocated by the government amounts to 4,120 units, including 1,008 Nvidia Vera Rubin and 3,112 B300 GPUs, and this specific disclosure covers only the portion designated for Naver Cloud's own private utilization.

Naver Cloud plans to leverage the secured GPUs to strengthen its AI infrastructure technical capabilities and upgrade its proprietary AI services.

                                                                                                          Lee Seo-yeon