Law firm Shin & Kim said on the 22nd that it is launching an artificial intelligence data center infrastructure center to respond to government efforts to nurture strategic national industries such as AI, semiconductors and data centers, and to provide integrated legal services for related projects.
With a special act on AI data centers, or AIDC, set to take effect in March next year, investment and large-scale projects are expected to accelerate as the government strengthens policy support to develop AI, semiconductors and data centers as strategic national industries. Building AI and data center infrastructure requires comprehensive capabilities because it involves a complex mix of legal and policy issues, including site selection and permits as well as securing large amounts of electricity, grid connection, energy supply, AI and data regulation, protection of national core technologies, and investment and financing.
Shin & Kim has previously advised on the development, operation and sale of IGIS Asset Management's Hanam data center, the development of the Samsong data center in Goyang, Samsung C&T's data center development project in Pyeongtaek, and Smilegate's Munbong data center development in Goyang.
Through the new center, Shin & Kim plans to expand the expertise it has built in data centers to AI and advanced-industry infrastructure as a whole, and to pool capabilities across practice areas to build an integrated advisory system covering every stage of a project.
The center will be co-headed by attorney Jang Kyung-soo, who leads Shin & Kim's real estate and alternative investment group and has advised on numerous data center development and investment projects, and adviser Yoo Jeong-yeol, a former official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy who served as president of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, or KOTRA.
"Shin & Kim has accumulated broad experience and advisory capabilities by handling a wide range of projects in AI, semiconductors and digital infrastructure, including data centers," said senior managing partner Oh Jong-han. "With the Shin & Kim AIDC Infrastructure Center at the core, we will provide clients with optimal solutions and contribute to the growth and competitiveness of strategic national industries."
