Gangnam Courts AMD AI Research Center for Suseo Technology Cluster

Seoul’s Gangnam district is mounting a campaign to bring Advanced Micro Devices’ planned artificial intelligence research center to the area around Suseo Station, positioning the neighborhood as a ready-made base for international researchers and technology companies.

Gangnam-gu Mayor Kim Hyeon-ki said the district plans to promote itself as a possible location through the Ministry of Science and ICT and other government agencies. The pitch centers on Suseo’s expanding robotics cluster, transportation network, schools and residential amenities, which district officials believe could help AMD recruit and retain researchers from Korea and abroad.

AMD Chief Executive Lisa Su said on Oct. 7 that the US chipmaker intends to establish an AI Center of Excellence in Korea by the end of this year and hire hundreds of researchers. The planned center is expected to contribute to AMD’s global AI software development while expanding cooperation with Korean universities, research institutes and the country’s broader technology ecosystem. A final location was not identified in the announcement.

Gangnam’s proposal emphasizes development already underway near Suseo Station. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is building a robotics venture town in the area and aims to complete the Seoul Robot Tech Center by 2030. The district argues that concentrating companies, universities and research organizations in one area could create a stronger base for AI and robotics development.

The neighborhood is also home to the Robot Plus Test Field, which opened in 2024. The 5,950-square-meter facility occupies two buildings and contains more than 80 robots of about 30 types, together with testing facilities, laboratories and classrooms. Officials are presenting that infrastructure as evidence that Suseo is moving beyond planning and already supports practical research and development.

Transport access is another part of the bid. Suseo Station currently connects the SRT high-speed rail service, GTX-A, the Suin-Bundang Line and Seoul subway Line 3. A planned rail line between Suseo and Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province would add a fifth connection. Kim also pointed to Korea International School in Gaepo-dong and the district’s housing and lifestyle infrastructure as advantages for overseas employees and their families.

Gangnam is simultaneously preparing for another major AI investment. Google DeepMind plans to open an AI Campus near Samseong Station this year, its first outside the United Kingdom. The 1,980-square-meter facility is expected to support collaboration between Google, Korean researchers and startups.

The AMD campaign reflects intensifying competition among Korean districts to capture high-value research operations as global chipmakers expand their AI footprints. For Gangnam, securing the center would reinforce its effort to turn the Suseo area into a specialized technology cluster rather than relying solely on the district’s established commercial and residential profile.