Sejong law firm launches AIDC Infrastructure Center

Bae, Kim & Lee LLC (Sejong) announced Tuesday the launch of its AIDC (AI Data Center) Infrastructure Center to proactively support the development of national strategic industries — including AI, semiconductors and data centers — and deliver integrated legal services for related projects.

The center will be co-led by Attorney Jang Kyung-su and Adviser Yoo Jeong-yeol. Jang heads Sejong's real estate and alternative investment group and has advised on numerous data center development and investment projects. Yoo, a former Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy official who previously served as president of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), brings extensive policy experience in industry, trade and investment.

The center will draw on more than 100 specialists across practice areas, including Managing Partner Jang Yun-seok, who leads the firm's corporate finance group; Managing Partner Kang Shin-wook, who oversees the ICT group; Attorney Lee Sang-hyun, head of the project and energy group; Attorney Lim Bo-kyung, who leads the IP group; Senior Foreign Attorney Kim Se-jin, director of Sejong's trade and industrial policy center; and Senior Foreign Attorney Park Hyun-joo (Hyunju Helen Pak), a specialist in international finance and investment transactions.

The center's core services cover five areas: data center site and business-right due diligence, development, construction, operation and disposal; power procurement through project financing, renewable energy, natural gas generation and nuclear power, along with grid connection, power system impact assessments and power supply agreements; ICT regulatory advisory on AI, data and telecommunications regulation, AI commercialization and data center service contracts; IP and technology protection advisory covering AI training data and copyright, technology development and licensing agreements, trade secrets and core national technologies; and investment and financing advisory spanning domestic and overseas investment, project financing, acquisition financing, refinancing, and fund and GPU financing.

The launch is seen as a preparatory move ahead of the enforcement of a special act on AIDC, set to take effect in March next year. Stakeholders across sectors are busy with preparations. On Sept. 9, the Ministry of Science and ICT held a public forum in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to gather input on subordinate regulations under the Special Act on the Promotion of the AIDC Industry, seeking opinions on detailed implementation standards including fast-track exceptions for power support and permitting.

Sejong aims to leverage its accumulated expertise in AIDC-related work. The firm previously provided legal advisory covering the full lifecycle of a data center — including development, operation and disposal — for IGIS Asset Management's Hanam data center project. Other notable advisory mandates include the Goyang Samsong data center development, Samsung C&T's Pyeongtaek data center development project, Smilegate's Goyang Munbong data center development, multiple data center developments led by Actis, and the Yongin data center development by Warburg Pincus and Widecreek Asset Management.

In addition, Sejong has strengthened its position in the sector by handling major domestic and international data center projects, including power system impact assessment work related to data center power supply.

Building on that foundation, the center will extend the firm's data center expertise into AI and advanced industrial infrastructure more broadly, while consolidating capabilities across practice groups to establish an integrated advisory framework covering every stage of a project.

Managing Partner Oh Jong-han said Sejong has built broad experience and advisory capabilities through a wide range of projects in AI, semiconductors, digital infrastructure and data centers. "Going forward, the AIDC Infrastructure Center will serve as our hub for delivering optimal solutions to clients across the full lifecycle of complex AIDC projects, while contributing to the growth and competitiveness of national strategic industries," he said.