Minister Lee Jong-ho Urges Introduction of 5G Mid-Tier Plans... Top 3 Telecoms to Launch in August (Comprehensive)

Minister Lee Jong-ho Meets CEOs of Three Telecom Companies for the First Time
Three Telecom Companies Announce August Launch Plan
Efforts to Expand 5G Coverage and Improve Quality
5G 28GHz Public-Private Working Group Formed
Active Participation in Open RAN Alliance

Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT is attending a meeting with the CEOs of the three major telecommunications companies held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 11th and is taking a commemorative photo. From the left, Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom; Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and ICT; Koo Hyun-mo, CEO of KT; Hwang Hyun-sik, CEO of LG Uplus. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] In response to the government's request to expedite the introduction of a 5G mid-tier plan, all three major telecom companies pledged, "We will launch the plan by next month."

On the afternoon of the 11th, Lee Jong-ho, Minister of Science and ICT, held a meeting at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, urging the three telecom companies to actively work on launching 5G plans that meet public expectations amid the currently polarized 5G pricing system. This was the first meeting since Minister Lee took office.

Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom; Koo Hyun-mo, CEO of KT; and Hwang Hyun-sik, CEO of LG Uplus, all agreed on the necessity of a mid-tier plan and announced their intention to launch it by August. Although initially expected within the third quarter, the timeline has accelerated. SK Telecom reported its 5G mid-tier plan earlier that morning. The government plans to review and approve it, possibly by early August. However, the government withheld specific details about the reported plan.

The government also called for expanding 5G coverage and improving quality. Telecom companies plan to fully establish 5G networks, including rural areas, in major towns and townships by the end of the year. For the rural shared network, commercialization will be completed promptly in some areas where network construction is finished by the end of December this year, with an early opening planned for July.

The telecom companies proposed forming a public-private joint working group to review the 5G 28GHz policy direction, which has low investment efficiency. The ongoing installation of 28GHz subway Wi-Fi equipment will be accelerated. They also promised to maintain investment levels in related areas, from AI semiconductors to new IT businesses, at or above the scale of 2022-2023.

The government also requested efforts to foster the Open RAN (Open Radio Access Network) ecosystem. Telecom companies stated they would strive to create demand for Open RAN in small cells and in-building environments and actively participate in the Open RAN Alliance. In response to the government's call for stricter execution of duties to strengthen network stability, the telecom companies replied that they would faithfully implement the Telecommunication Disaster Management Plan and cooperate to prevent failures and accidents.

In discussions on telecom operators' requests, regulatory easing and difficulties in responding to carbon emission regulations were the main topics. KT requested regulatory easing, especially regarding wireless station regulations. The industry proposed establishing a public-private consultative body for system improvements, to which the government responded positively. SK Telecom and LG Uplus raised requests for government support concerning carbon emission regulations. The industry noted challenges due to high energy consumption when building Internet Data Centers (IDCs), leading to carbon emission issues. The government plans to discuss this with the Ministry of Environment and related agencies.

Minister Lee Jong-ho stated, "Telecommunications is an essential service inseparable from the daily lives of the people and an industry that must grow together with the public. I urge that the opinions raised at the meeting be implemented one by one, and I hope the government and telecom companies will closely cooperate to resolve various pending issues going forward."