KT unveiled its vision for next-generation mobile communications 6G (sixth-generation mobile communications) and the direction of its core technologies.
KT, at a press briefing at MWC 2026 in Barcelona on the 2nd (local time), set its 6G goal for the AI era as an "ultra-connected, ultra-reliable, intelligent AI network that drives AX innovation." It redefined 6G not as an extension of the speed race but as an integrated infrastructure in which AI operates stably and society can place its trust.
The theme of MWC 2026 is "The IQ Era," and organizers view this event as an inflection point for the transition to "intelligent infrastructure," where networks make decisions and operate through AI. The core themes also align with "intelligent infrastructure" and "ConnectAI," and discussions on open networks (Open RAN) brought AI-native design at the 6G stage to the forefront. After the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) adopted "IMT-2030" as the international standard framework for 6G, standardization centered on 3GPP has gained speed, and the roughly five years before standards are finalized are seen as the window that will determine technological leadership.
KT's main pillars are to simultaneously implement "AI for Network," which makes network operations intelligent through AI, and "Network for AI," in which the network guarantees the ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability demanded by AI services. To that end, it presented ultra-connectivity, ultra-low latency, quantum-safe, AI-native, autonomous networks, and semantic-centric transport as 6G core technologies.
Ultra-connectivity will be realized through three-dimensional coverage linking land, sea, and air. The plan is to provide seamless connections through an integrated architecture that combines non-terrestrial and terrestrial networks and a "supercell" technology that rapidly builds temporary networks in disasters. Ultra-low latency will be designed as an end-to-end architecture that includes the backbone segment extending beyond devices and radio access to AI data centers. By combining network slicing, which separates a single physical network into virtual networks by service, with a photonic network that uses light for transmission and exchange, KT proposed an "end-to-end ultra-low-latency infrastructure" that guarantees service-specific quality while minimizing delay.
Security is set as a basic premise of 6G. KT plans to apply quantum-safe technologies to ensure secure communications in the era of quantum computers and to embed next-generation security technologies—such as quantum key distribution, AI-based intrusion detection, and homomorphic encryption—throughout the entire network.
KT will also enhance investment flexibility through an AI-native design that integrates communications and AI workloads, and it will pursue automation of design, deployment, and operations by combining a network foundation model that leverages a network-specialized large language model, a Digital Twin, and AI agents. Semantic-centric transport, which sends only the essential information needed for the purpose rather than the entire data, was also presented as a new communication method for the 6G era.
KT cited its standalone 5G experience and the infrastructure capabilities of its satellite subsidiary KT SAT as strengths. Lee Jong-sik, head of KT's Network Research Institute (executive vice president), said, "The 6G race will not be about the superiority of individual technologies but a competition of integrated architectures that organically combine AI, satellites, optics, security, and operations," adding, "We will pursue it with the goals of innovating customer experience, innovating the expense structure, and creating new market opportunities."