KT said on the 3rd that it has independently developed quantum key distribution (QKD) equipment that generates 300,000 encryption keys per second (300 kbps).
Because of the characteristics of quantum mechanics, encryption keys cannot be copied, which the company said can fundamentally block any attempt to eavesdrop on physical lines.
KT more than doubled the key generation rate about a year and a half after developing equipment last year that produced 150,000 keys per second (150 kbps). Among QKD systems built with domestic technology, it is the fastest level and on par with global manufacturers, and KT said its in-house quantum encryption communication technology has reached a world-class level. Once introduced into the network, it can provide quantum encryption keys to more than 70,000 encryption devices per minute.
QKD, which handles single photons, can see increased errors because quantum states easily collapse due to dispersion and scattering of light. To boost key generation speed, KT said it developed error-reduction filters and systems to minimize errors, and improved performance and reliability by generating and detecting quantum states at desired times.
At the end of last year, KT conducted related technology verification for technology development and certification bodies including the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA), the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), and carried out joint verification with the research team of Professor Heo Jun at the Korea University Communications and Information Systems Laboratory.
The company expected the error-reduction technology to be used for the next-generation network, the "quantum internet." Lee Jong-sik, head of KT's Network Research Institute, said, "We will work to vitalize the domestic quantum industry market based on continued development of in-house quantum communication technology and technology transfer," adding, "We will also continue efforts to secure future quantum internet technology."