Science ministry launches council to boost telecom investment in AI era

The science ministry launched a public-private council on Thursday to spur telecommunications infrastructure investment amid the artificial intelligence boom. The body brings together government officials, executives from SKT, KT and LGU+, and experts from research institutes.

Facilities investment by the three major carriers has fallen from 9.6 trillion won in 2019 to 6.02 trillion won in 2025. In response, members agreed to finalize investment and regulatory improvement plans by year-end, focusing on AI-based radio access networks (AI-RAN) and 6G technologies. The group pledged to remove regulatory and tax obstacles hindering network upgrades through a comprehensive package that includes budget and tax support measures.

The council reviewed the status of 5G standalone mode (SA) commercialization, with all three carriers targeting nationwide service by December. KT has expanded its commercial service since July 2021, while SKT and LGU+ are conducting nationwide tests. Specific applications under development include dedicated corporate networks for the World Cup and firework festivals for KT, customized local services for SKT, and physical AI integration for live event broadcasting, delivery, and patrol operations for LGU+.

To support these efforts, the government will consult with device manufacturers and operating system providers starting in August to expand compatible terminals. The ministry also plans to supplement net neutrality guidelines in the fourth quarter, focusing on priority transmission and special services. Additionally, the group will develop refined quality evaluation metrics for 5G specialized functions, including SA connection stability, latency, and slicing quality, with pilot measurements scheduled for December.

"The foundation of national competitiveness in the AI era is intelligent wired and wireless networks," said Choi Woo-hyuk, director general for information protection and network policy at the ministry. He stated that the government and carriers would cooperate to boldly eliminate regulatory barriers and create a virtuous cycle of investment in next-generation networks.