TLDRs;
- Anthropic will open its first South Korea office in early 2026 amid soaring AI adoption.
- Weekly Claude Code users in South Korea have grown sixfold in the past four months.
- SK Telecom’s $100M investment underscores growing local interest in Anthropic’s AI tools.
- Anthropic also plans expansions in Tokyo, Bengaluru, Dublin, London, and Zurich.
US-based AI startup Anthropic has announced plans to open a dedicated office in South Korea in early 2026, reflecting the country’s rapidly growing adoption of its AI products.
The expansion, reveled in a Friday tweet, is part of Anthropic’s broader strategy to strengthen its presence in Asia, where three of its top five global user bases are located: South Korea, Japan, and India.
The decision comes amid a striking rise in usage of Claude Code, Anthropic’s AI-powered coding tool. South Korea currently accounts for a significant share of Claude Code activity in the region, with weekly active users surging sixfold over the past four months. Analysts attribute this growth to the increasing demand for AI-assisted software development across tech companies and enterprises in South Korea.
Strategic Partnerships Boost Market Presence
Anthropic’s South Korean expansion is supported by local partners, most notably SK Telecom, which invested $100 million in the company in 2023.
The partnership highlights a strong domestic appetite for AI solutions capable of enhancing enterprise productivity. Law&Company, a local legal-services platform, has reported nearly doubled efficiency for lawyers leveraging Claude Code, showcasing tangible enterprise applications.
The company is also actively seeking additional partners in South Korea, Japan, and India ahead of its office openings. This provides opportunities for local systems integrators and managed service providers to establish early footholds in the AI ecosystem, setting the stage for growth and adoption even before the Seoul office officially launches.
Asia Expansion Beyond South Korea
Anthropic’s South Korea office is only one piece of its global growth plans. The company is also preparing offices in Tokyo and Bengaluru to cater to Japan’s and India’s rapidly expanding AI markets.
In Europe, hiring is underway in Dublin, London, and Zurich, reflecting Anthropic’s goal of building a strong international talent network.
With backing from tech giants Alphabet and Amazon, Anthropic is reportedly valued at $183 billion, cementing its status as one of the leading players in the AI startup landscape. Its Claude models, including Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Claude Sonnet 4, are already integrated into Amazon Web Services (AWS) Bedrock, a managed foundation model service, which now lists Seoul as a source region for several inference profiles.
Compliance and Technical Considerations
While the addition of Seoul in AWS Bedrock signals enhanced accessibility for Asian users, regulatory and data residency concerns remain unresolved.
Neither AWS nor Anthropic has confirmed full compliance with South Korean enterprise requirements, leaving some questions about local hosting and approval.
Nonetheless, the rapid uptake of Claude Code in South Korea underscores strong market demand, even as Anthropic navigates these compliance landscapes.
Looking Ahead
Anthropic’s expansion into South Korea marks a pivotal step in its Asia-focused growth strategy. By combining local partnerships, rapidly increasing user adoption, and ongoing international office development, the company is positioning itself to become a major AI player across multiple continents.
Early movers, particularly Korean systems integrators and enterprises, stand to benefit from reference architectures and integration opportunities as the South Korea office officially opens in 2026.
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