The government and the three mobile carriers promised to work to restore public trust in their security systems. They also said they will push to guarantee "basic communications rights for the public" and begin a full-scale overhaul of the rate system. They additionally decided to expand investment in next-generation networks that will be key to the "artificial intelligence (AI) expressway."
The Ministry of Science and ICT held a roundtable on Apr. 9 at the Korea Science and Technology Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, attended by Vice Premier and Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, SK Telecom President Jung Jai-hun, KT President Park Yoon-young, and LG Uplus President Hong Bum-Shik.
At the meeting, the government emphasized strengthening the information and network security of the three carriers and called for measures to prevent a recurrence of hacking incidents. In line with the Digital Inclusion Act set to take effect in Apr. next year, it also asked for cooperation in supporting vulnerable groups in the event of a breach and in establishing counseling and reporting systems.
The industry also agreed to cooperate with the government's "basic communications rights" policy. A "data safety option" (QoS) that allows users to access low-speed internet for free even after exhausting their data allotment will be introduced. Plans will also move forward in the first half to expand voice and text offerings for seniors and to launch integrated plans, including a 5G (fifth-generation mobile network) plan in the 20,000-won range.
Choi Woo-hyuk, Director General for Network Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said of the 5G plan in the 20,000-won range, "Because it will also apply to current (QoS) users, it can be understood as retroactive, and those who do not use data plans are not eligible," adding, "As a result of the rate plan overhaul, 380 billion won will return to the public."
In response to criticism that the low-speed internet rate of 400 Kbps is slow, Kim Jun-mo, Director for Telecommunications Service Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "The basic services the government has in mind are emergency searches or checking navigation, and we think 400 Kbps can align with this policy intent."
The government also said it will continue to improve service quality in public transit settings, including upgrading subway Wi-Fi from LTE (fourth-generation mobile network) to 5G and improving communications quality along high-speed rail sections.
The carriers also agreed to use their platforms to expand public-facing services based on proprietary AI models and to cooperate in building a system that prioritizes the National Fire Agency's emergency rescue communications on commercial networks during disasters.
Regarding future investment in the AI era, the government plans to support next-generation network research and development (R&D) and demonstration projects. It called on the three carriers to expand next-generation network investment to complete the "AI expressway," beyond AI data centers (AIDC).
Immediately after the roundtable, the three carriers announced a joint declaration centered on ▲ strengthening security systems ▲ cooperating to guarantee basic communications rights ▲ expanding investment in next-generation AI networks, reaffirming their commitment to cooperation.
At the roundtable, Vice Premier Bae said the government and the three mobile carriers will operate a quarterly CEO council and receive reports on discussions related to chief information security officers (CISOs).
On this, Director General Choi Woo-hyuk said, "The three carriers agreed on the importance of investing in AI network infrastructure and said they will actively invest in the future, including next-generation networks and AI," adding, "They said they will invest a combined amount 15% higher than last year."
Vice Premier Bae said, "To ensure this does not end as a one-off discussion, we will make the roundtable regular and strengthen public-private cooperation so that tangible results that people can feel are implemented seamlessly in the field," adding, "As telecommunications are a core foundation of people's lives and national competitiveness, we expect the telecom industry to play a pivotal role in stabilizing livelihoods and strengthening global leadership in the AI era."