Tencent Cloud sees Korea as benchmark for AI, gaming

Tencent Cloud is increasing its investment in South Korea, positioning the country as a key benchmark market in Asia-Pacific for its AI and cloud services. The company’s strategy focuses on South Korea’s established sectors in gaming, media, and enterprise technology, while also supporting local firms in expanding globally. Nucky Fang, general manager of Tencent Cloud International, emphasized a collaborative approach, stating that both Tencent and Korean companies will grow together through shared expertise. Tencent Cloud operates 66 availability zones across 23 global regions, providing Korean game companies with infrastructure for international publishing and low-latency global communication. Heo Jeong-pil, Tencent Cloud Korea Country Manager, noted that Korean customers value the company’s cross-market experience, particularly in gaming, cybersecurity, and network services. While Tencent retains a competitive edge in China due to its extensive local infrastructure and compliance expertise, it is now broadening its focus beyond helping Korean firms enter the Chinese market. At Tencent Cloud Day Korea 2026, the company unveiled new partnerships with GS Neotek, ESTsoft, I Hate Flying Bugs, the Korea Management Association, and Aptos Labs. It also introduced AI-powered tools, including Miora (an AI creative studio), TokenHub (a multi-model AI gateway), WAND (a media workflow platform), and WorkBuddy (an AI productivity agent). Fang highlighted AI as a core pillar of the strategy, noting that businesses in Korea and China are increasingly adopting AI across B2B and B2C markets. Beyond gaming and streaming, Tencent Cloud plans to expand into commerce, enterprise software, and AI-driven content creation. Heo stated that while gaming and OTT services remain important, the company will prioritize local partnerships in video-generation AI and traditional enterprise sectors. The move reflects Tencent Cloud’s ambition to solidify its presence in South Korea as a hub for AI innovation and cloud-based solutions.