KB Kookmin Bank to lead $9.45 bil. AI infrastructure financing

KB Kookmin Bank secured the lead arranger role in a 12.6 trillion won ($9.45 billion) project to build AI computing infrastructure in Korea, the lender said Sunday. Led by Brookfield, the project will acquire high-performance computing equipment, including GPUs, and supply the infrastructure to Naver Cloud. The financing is Korea’s largest syndicated loan arrangement and its first GPU financing deal. The structure relies on anticipated long-term revenue from supplying AI computing capacity to support the project’s upfront investment.

Roughly 10.7 trillion won of the project’s 12.6 trillion won in total costs will be raised through loans.

As lead arranger, KB Kookmin Bank is overseeing the financing structure, assembling the lending syndicate and coordinating loan terms.

Hana Bank, Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank and NH Investment & Securities are also reportedly participating in the financing.

KB Kookmin Bank said it plans to expand support for strategic high-tech industries following the deal.

Published Nov 1, 2026 2:23 pm KST

A pedestrian walks past the entrance to a KB Kookmin Bank branch in Seoul, Oct. 11. Yonhap

KB Kookmin Bank has secured the lead arranger role in a 12.6 trillion won ($9.45 billion) project to build artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure in Korea, the lender said Sunday.

Led by Brookfield, one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, the project involves acquiring major high-performance computing equipment, including graphics processing units (GPUs), and supplying the infrastructure to Naver Cloud.

The deal marks the largest syndicated loan arrangement in Korea’s history. Such loans allow multiple financial institutions to jointly finance a large-scale project.

It is also the country’s first GPU financing deal — a departure from conventional project financing, which has typically centered on assets like real estate or power plants. Rather than relying on immediate returns, the structure uses anticipated long-term revenue from supplying AI computing capacity to support the project's substantial upfront investment needs.

Of the 12.6 trillion won in total costs, roughly 10.7 trillion won will be raised through loans. As lead arranger, KB Kookmin Bank is overseeing the financing structure, assembling the lending syndicate and coordinating loan terms to secure the necessary funding.

KB Kookmin Bank said it plans to expand its support for strategic high-tech industries following the deal.

“This transaction is significant in that it opens up a new area of financing,” a bank official said. “We will continue to expand our support for industries driving growth ahead and contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of domestic industries by promoting productive finance.”

韩国国民银行（KB Kookmin Bank）周日宣布，已获得一项价值12.6万亿韩元（约合94.5亿美元）的韩国人工智能计算基础设施建设项目的牵头安排行角色。该项目由Brookfield牵头，将购置包括GPU在内的高性能计算设备，并为Naver Cloud提供基础设施。此次融资是韩国迄今为止规模最大的银团贷款安排，也是韩国首笔GPU融资交易。该项目的融资结构依赖于预期从人工智能计算能力供应中获得的长期收入来支持其前期投资。

该项目总成本为 12.6 万亿韩元，其中约 10.7 万亿韩元将通过贷款筹集。

作为牵头安排行，KB国民银行负责监督融资结构、组建银团和协调贷款条款。

据报道，韩亚银行、新韩银行、友利银行和NH投资证券也参与了此次融资。

KB国民银行表示，交易完成后，计划扩大对战略性高科技产业的支持。

发布于2026年11月1日下午2:23（韩国标准时间）

10月11日，一名行人走过首尔一家KB国民银行分行的入口。（韩联社）

韩国国民银行周日表示，该行已获得一项价值 12.6 万亿韩元（94.5 亿美元）的韩国人工智能（AI）计算基础设施建设项目的牵头安排行角色。

该项目由全球最大的另类资产管理公司之一 Brookfield 牵头，涉及购置大型高性能计算设备，包括图形处理单元 (GPU)，并向 Naver Cloud 提供基础设施。

这笔交易是韩国历史上规模最大的银团贷款安排。此类贷款允许多家金融机构共同为大型项目提供融资。

这也是该国首笔GPU融资交易——这与传统的以房地产或发电厂等资产为中心的项目融资模式截然不同。该融资结构并非依赖短期回报，而是利用提供人工智能计算能力所带来的预期长期收入来满足项目庞大的前期投资需求。

总成本为12.6万亿韩元，其中约10.7万亿韩元将通过贷款筹集。作为牵头安排行，KB国民银行负责监督融资结构，组建银团并协调贷款条款，以确保获得所需资金。

KB国民银行表示，交易完成后，计划扩大对战略性高科技产业的支持。

一位银行官员表示：“这笔交易意义重大，因为它开辟了一个新的融资领域。我们将继续加大对未来增长型产业的支持力度，并通过促进生产性融资，助力提升国内产业的竞争力。”