Rendered image of a data center planned for Geumcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul (Geumcheon-gu Office) Data centers are becoming Korea’s new neighborhood battleground.The issue resurfaced during last week’s local elections, as several candidates for district mayor and local council seats in the greater Seoul area pledged to review or intervene in ongoing data center projects. Some of them were elected.Small-scale data centers planned across Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province have faced growing opposition from residents, with some disputes escalating into legal complaints.One of the most prominent cases is in Geumcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul.According to police and the Geumcheon-gu Office, the developer of a planned data center filed complaints with police against three residents in March, accusing them of spreading false information and obstructing business operations.Two of the cases were resolved through mediation, while one remains under investigation as of Monday, a district official told The Korea Herald.Residents have opposed the district’s approval of a 4.98-megawatt data center less than 100 meters from an apartment complex since construction began in October.The facility is designed to support low-latency data storage and processing for nearby users. At 4.98 MW, it is far smaller than the hyperscale and AI data centers that have drawn scrutiny in countries such as the United States, where facilities often exceed 50 MW and can reach several hundred megawatts.But size has done little to ease local concerns.Residents cite worries over electromagnetic fields, fire risks linked to electrical infrastructure and noise. They also argue that local authorities failed to properly gather public opinion before approving the project.The developer has said safety assessments have been completed, but residents have continued their campaign against the facility.The district office has largely distanced itself from the dispute, describing it as a conflict between the developer and residents. Officials say there are no clear legal grounds to block a data center of this size in the area.Geumcheon District Mayor-elect Choi Ki-chan has pledged to make the issue a priority after taking office.“On the first day of my term, I will process measures to improve the institutional framework surrounding data center construction and establish a permanent resident participation body in a single package,” Choi said in an interview with local media in May.Similar disputes have surfaced in Yeongdeungpo-gu in Seoul and Michuhol-gu in Incheon. In Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Rep. Kim Young-hwan, who represents the area, shaved his head in protest in 2024.The backlash comes as data centers are becoming increasingly important to Korea’s digital economy. Facilities located closer to users are seen as critical for faster data transmission, particularly as AI services, cloud computing and online platforms expand.But winning approval has become harder.According to real estate consultancy Rsquare, the number of approved data center construction projects in South Korea fell from 25 in 2023 to 14 in 2025.Some experts say fears surrounding smaller data centers may be overstated.“The impact of electromagnetic waves from data centers is extremely limited. The government conducts rigorous reviews before construction to ensure that excessive emissions or unreasonable power consumption do not become an issue,” Park Jong-bae, a professor of electrical engineering at Konkuk University, told local media.Others say the conflict points to a broader failure of communication.They argue that residents need clearer information on safety assessments, noise levels and fire prevention measures, as well as incentives.“Data centers should move toward a benefit-sharing model that coexists with local communities, such as supplying district heating using waste heat from facilities and opening cultural or educational spaces within the centers,” said Yoo Seung-hoon, a professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology.