Minister Yoo Young-min of the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) holds a meeting with SK Telecom President Park Jung-ho, KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, and LG U+ Vice Chairman Ha Hyun-hoe on the commercialization of 5G telecom network at the Marriott Park Center in Yeouido, Seoul, on July 17. (Photo: MSIT)

Korean telecom service providers have agreed to simultaneously launch 5G services with the commercialization of 3G mobile telecom network for the first time in the world slated for next March. As in this regard, Minister Yoo Young-min of the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) stressed the importance of telecom equipment security, making the telecom service providers wonder how to handle the use of 5G telecom equipment produced by Huawei.
MSIT Minister Yoo had a meeting with SK Telecom President Park Jung-ho, KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, and LG U+ Vice Chairman Ha Hyun-hoe on the commercialization of 5G telecom network at the Marriott Park Center in Yeouido, Seoul, on July 17.
Minister Yoo said, “In order to help Korea, the first country in the world to commercialize 5G mobile network, occupy the global market, telecom service providers should refrain from competing to become a first and need to make ‘Korea 5G Day’ in which Korea is the first country.” He urged the participants to keep pace with each other.
The commercialization of 5G telecom need to be known to telecommunications equipment, handsets, small cell and other companies so that they can predict it, the minister said. He extended thanks to the telecom service providers for the commercialization of 5G, a challenging task, which is in progress well as planned.
Diverse services centering around 5G will be created and become important industries, with numerous handsets having spill-over effects to the Korean industry, and Korea should build trust by grabbing the market faster than any other country and becoming a test-bed, Yoo said. He emphasized roles on the part of the government and companies toward the challenging goal.
Minister Yoo also mentioned ways of lowering telecom charges. Expressing appreciation that the three telecom service providers have lowered communications charges to the lower 20 percent of the income ladder, he cited how to help the poor on communications charges in an era of 5G.
KT Chairman Hwang said the use of 5G is not just B2B services, but also a public thing that will have an impact on the whole of society, and the government will have to cooperate in easing the difficulties the business sector experience since it will require a huge investment on top of several policies.” He cited that the United States forewent net neutrality, and several countries have provided tax benefits related to 5G investments.
As to tax benefits, Minister Yoo said such things as tax credit and the refunding of surtax, which are needed to coordinate with related ministries, will be handled to the extent that a maximum support can be offered as much as possible.
SK Telecom President Park said researching into how 5G will change the world, the five-fold improvement of pixel, in particular, brings about media changes for better VR and AR environment, and the government needs to provide support for joint study and nurturing competitiveness in not only investing 5G network but also expanding the ecosystem.
President Park ruled out a possibility of acquiring a stake in Asiana Airlines. He added his company was considering the use of 5G telecom equipment produced by Huawei.
LG U+ Vice Chairman Ha said the commercialization of 5G in an early next year takes on significance, and his company will make it as scheduled, and make efforts to offer more satisfying services than expected by jointly developing handsets.
As to the use of telecom equipment produced by Huawei, Minister Yoo said it will be left to each company, and the government will look into the procurement of all equipment, including Chinese-made ones, stressing the significance of security.