6G Market, South Korea Targets 15% Share... Ruling Party Pledges Active Support for Budget and Legislation

'Network Technology Hegemony Leadership: Inter-Party Meeting Held at the National Assembly'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] The ruling party and government have set a target of 15% global market share for the 6G network market, considered one of the future growth engines. To achieve this, the People Power Party plans to actively support budgetary and legislative measures.

Seong Il-jong, chairman of the Policy Committee, said on the morning of the 23rd after the 'Ruling Party-Government Meeting for Leading Network Technology Hegemony' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, "South Korea's 5G market share worldwide is 8.3%, and we have concluded that we can secure about 15% of the global market share through 6G."

Seong Il-jong, Chairman of the Policy Committee of the People Power Party, is speaking at the inter-party meeting for leading the network technology hegemony competition held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. (Photo by Yonhap News)

The party promised budget support. In his opening remarks, Chairman Seong said, "To lead 6G technology and secure next-generation network technology capabilities, bold investment in national-level support and research and development (R&D) is necessary," emphasizing, "The U.S. has invested 3 trillion won in 6G technology development, and Japan and China have also invested hundreds of billions of won; we cannot fall behind."

He also announced generous legislative support. Efforts will be made to expedite the passage of bills such as the 'Act on the Intensive Promotion of Quantum Technology and Quantum Industry' and the 'Act on the Development and Industrialization Promotion of Quantum Technology,' which have already been proposed by lawmakers Park Seong-jung and Byun Jae-il and are pending in the National Assembly. Chairman Seong explained, "A high-speed highway called telecommunications must be laid for others to follow, but without the base infrastructure of telecommunications, other industries cannot keep up," adding, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is making every effort to establish South Korea as a technological hegemon, and the party will actively support both budget and legislation."

They are also considering pushing for exemption from preliminary feasibility studies. Bang Seung-chan, president of the Korea Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, who attended the meeting, said, "6G communication is progressing somewhat slowly in our country, so urgent development of communication technology and future infrastructure construction are required; therefore, I requested an exemption from the preliminary feasibility study." In response, Chairman Seong said, "For projects exempt from preliminary feasibility studies, we will discuss them in the standing committee and create a forum for consultation with the opposition party to share market conditions and seek cooperation."

Attendees at the meeting included National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Communications Committee members Kim Young-sik, Yoon Doo-hyun, and Hong Seok-jun; Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho; SK Telecom President Kang Jong-ryeol; and Samsung Electronics Vice President Choi Sung-hyun.