A New Era for Korean Supercomputing
South Korea has officially entered a new phase of high-performance computing with the launch of its sixth national supercomputer, 'Hangang.' Named after the iconic Han River that flows through Seoul, this system is a $276 million investment by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) designed to supercharge the nation's scientific research capabilities.
The jump in capability is staggering. Hangang is 24 times faster than its predecessor, 'Nurion,' which served as the nation's workhorse since 2018. By integrating 8,496 Nvidia GH200 GPUs, the system is positioned to handle intensive workloads ranging from climate modeling and battery technology development to large-scale AI model training.
Efficiency Meets Raw Power
Beyond raw speed, Hangang introduces a major technical shift in thermal management. Unlike previous generations that relied on traditional air cooling, KISTI has implemented a direct liquid cooling system. By circulating water directly to the processor chips, the facility has improved its power usage effectiveness (PUE) from 1.35 in the Nurion system down to 1.15—a significant leap in sustainable data center operations.
The Path to Hybrid Quantum Computing
Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of the Hangang project is its roadmap for 2027. KISTI, alongside partners including Nvidia and IonQ, plans to link the supercomputer to IonQ’s 'Tempo' quantum computer. This hybrid architecture aims to combine the strengths of both worlds:
- Classical supercomputing handles large-scale numerical work and data preparation.
- Quantum processors tackle specific, highly complex optimization tasks.
- A continuous loop between the two systems will solve problems previously considered intractable.
Hangang sits at the meeting point of both tracks. It inherits decades of national HPC practice and adds an early bet on the quantum-HPC model.
— Shattered.io
With the goal of ranking among the world’s top 10 most powerful systems, Hangang is not just a hardware upgrade; it is a strategic foundation for South Korea to maintain its global competitiveness in the rapidly evolving fields of AI and quantum science.