KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo Participates in COVID-19 'Global ICT Response'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo will participate in the global ICT response to overcome the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

KT announced on the 31st that CEO Koo has been appointed as a commissioner of the Broadband Commission jointly hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO. Currently, CEO Koo is the only commissioner of the Broadband Commission from Korea, and his term is two years.

Established in 2010, the Broadband Commission is a global consultative body that supports the expansion of ultra-high-speed internet infrastructure and digital development worldwide. Commissioners include heads of state and government officials from various countries, international organization representatives, and executives from global companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, Nokia, Ericsson, and Novartis. The commission is co-chaired by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and Carlos Slim Hel?, Chairman of the Carlos Slim Foundation. Including CEO Koo, a total of 58 commissioners are active.

Recently, the Broadband Commission has emphasized digital cooperation to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. In particular, it is devising measures to use ultra-high-speed internet connecting the world to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and minimize its adverse effects on the economy and society. To this end, it has adopted three key action principles: Resilient Connectivity, Affordable Access, and Safe use of online services informed and educated societies.

KT stated, "CEO Koo Hyun-mo was appointed as a commissioner of the Broadband Commission in recognition of his expertise and insight in telecommunications and ICT accumulated over 34 years at KT," and emphasized, "This appointment serves as an opportunity to reaffirm the status of Korea and KT in the global ICT industry."

Previously, in 2018, KT led the Global Epidemic Prevention Platform (GEPP) working group within the Broadband Commission, gaining recognition for its expertise and know-how in preventing epidemic spread using ICT.

CEO Koo said, “I feel a heavy responsibility being appointed as a commissioner of the Broadband Commission at a time when global cooperation is crucial to overcome the COVID-19 crisis,” and added, “Based on KT’s expertise in operating wired and wireless networks and advanced ICT such as artificial intelligence and big data, I will contribute to global collaboration to overcome COVID-19 and promote the excellence of Korean ICT worldwide.”