How did SK Telecom’s AI businesses perform in the third quarter, and what is the company doing to expand them?

Sales from AI data centers rose 6.2 percent year-on-year, and sales from other AI-related businesses increased 27.3 percent. SK Telecom formed SK Hyper and SK Horizon to oversee its AI data center business, and plans to use its indigenous foundation model in enterprise services.

Where is SK Hyper building AI data centers, and what capacity are they expected to have?

SK Hyper is constructing AI data centers in Ulsan and Seoul. Their combined capacity is expected to reach 180 megawatts.

What did SK Telecom say was behind its third-quarter profit improvement?

The company said steady growth in its main mobile service business and rising activity in new AI ventures helped improve its results during the three-month period. An executive said SK Telecom plans to connect mobile services and AI businesses in a single growth strategy and strengthen their synergy.

SKT's operating profit up over 1,000%, turns to black in Q3

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Summary

SK Telecom reported a 1,041.3 percent year-on-year increase in operating profit for the July-September period, with net profit returning to the black. Sales rose 13.1 percent to 4.49 trillion won, while operating income reached 552.3 billion won. The company attributed the improvement to its mobile service business and growth in AI ventures. It plans to connect mobile services and AI businesses in a single growth strategy.

Key Facts

Net profit was 411.8 billion won, compared with a loss of 166.7 billion won a year earlier.
Sales from SK Telecom’s AI data centers increased 6.2 percent year-on-year, while sales from other AI-related businesses rose 27.3 percent.
SK Telecom established wholly owned subsidiaries SK Hyper in July and SK Horizon in August to oversee its AI data center business.
SK Hyper is constructing AI data centers in Ulsan and Seoul with a combined planned capacity of 180 megawatts.
SK Telecom plans to apply its indigenous AI foundation model to enterprise AI services and expand its AI service ecosystem through a government-led development project.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 4, 2026 11:25 am KST

Passersby walk in front of a newly-opened SKT store, June 24, 2025. Korea Times photo by Kang Ye-jin

SK Telecom (SKT), Korea's top mobile service carrier, said Wednesday its third-quarter operating profit surged 1,041.3 percent from a year earlier, while its net profit shifted to the black during the same period.

Operating income for the July-September period was 552.3 billion won ($411.4 million), while sales rose 13.1 percent on-year to 4.49 trillion won. Net profit was 411.8 billion won, shifting from a loss of 166.7 billion won the previous year.

SK Telecom said the steady growth of its main mobile service business, as well as the rise of new ventures involving artificial intelligence (AI), helped improve its performance during the three-month period.

Sales from its AI data centers rose 6.2 percent on-year, while those from other AI-related businesses were up 27.3 percent from a year earlier, the company said.

The wireless carrier founded two new wholly owned subsidiaries — SK Hyper and SK Horizon — in July and August, respectively, to oversee its AI data center business.

SK Hyper is constructing AI data centers in the southern region of Ulsan and Seoul, of which combined capacity will reach 180 megawatts.

The company also plans to apply its indigenous AI foundation model to its enterprise AI services, while expanding its AI service ecosystem through its participation in the government-led AI service development project, SKT added.

"We plan to connect mobile services and AI businesses into a single growth strategy and amplify the synergy between the two areas," an executive from SK Telecom said.

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