KT and Viettel had signed an initial framework agreement in May of this year
In sum – what to know:
Southeast Asia AI push – KT and Viettel will jointly develop AI language models, AX platforms, and global partnerships, targeting rapid growth in the region’s digital transformation sector.
Talent and innovation hub – A planned Global AX Innovation Center will train AI specialists, while industry-focused AX platforms aim to modernize services across multiple sectors.
Cybersecurity collaboration – The deal includes research on AI tools to counter voice phishing and deepfakes, with shared technology and data between South Korea and Vietnam.
South Korea telecom operator KT has signed a partnership with Viettel Group, Vietnam’s largest carrier, to advance cooperation in artificial intelligence and AI transformation across Southeast Asia, Korean press reported.
The report noted that the agreement builds on a framework signed in May and moves the project into the implementation phase. KT CEO Kim Young-shub and Viettel Chairman and CEO Tao Duc Thang formalized the deal earlier this week at KT’s headquarters in Seoul.
The pair will work in four key areas: Developing a Vietnamese AI language model, creating industry-specific AX platforms, expanding the Southeast Asian AX ecosystem through global alliances, and fostering AI talent via a planned Global AX Innovation Center.
The partnership also covers joint research on AI-powered cybersecurity to combat voice phishing and deepfake crimes, with both companies sharing data and expertise, the report added.
Viettel had launched its first AI-optimized data center in Hanoi in April 2024. More recently, in April 2025, it had inaugurated its largest AI facility to date in Ho Chi Minh City. That data center is designed with an IT load capacity of 140 MW to support AI and other hyperscale workloads.
LG CNS, a South Korean IT solutions provider that is part of LG Group, recently announced plans to build a hyperscale artificial intelligence data center (AIDC) in Vietnam.
The Korean company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) and Korea Investment Real Asset Management at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum in Seoul to advance with the construction of the AI facility.
Under the terms of the agreement, the three parties will establish a dedicated technical working group to jointly develop the hyperscale AI data center.
The collaboration will span the full range of AI infrastructure, from facility construction and hardware such as servers and storage to network systems, including communications and connectivity, according to the reports.
LG CNS had previously announced plans to build a KRW100 billion ($72 million) AI data center in Jakarta, Indonesia, which would be the first overseas AI-focused facility established by a Korean company.
The development will be carried out through LG Sinarmas Technology Solutions, a joint venture with Indonesia’s third-largest conglomerate, Sinar Mas Group. The JV secured the construction contract from local data center developer Kuningan Mas Gemilang (KMG).
Set to be completed by the end of 2026, the AI-driven facility will span 11 stories with a total floor area of 46,281 square meters, capable of accommodating over 100,000 servers. The project will start with 30 MW of power capacity, scaling up to 220 MW — making it the largest AI data center in Indonesia.
For this overseas initiative, LG CNS will adopt an integrated “One LG” approach, incorporating technologies from LG affiliates, including cooling systems from LG Electronics and battery platforms from LG Energy Solution.
The facility will include GPU-specialized infrastructure. It will also feature hybrid cooling systems to manage high-performance GPU heat and an environmentally friendly HVAC system that autonomously regulates temperature and humidity.
Located in Menteng, central Jakarta, the data center will have proximity to national backbone infrastructure and submarine cable systems.
