Korea Communications Agency (KCA) said it will provide free inspections of the ultrafast maritime wireless network (LTE-M) on vessels, including fishing boats, in Geoje and Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, which have been designated special disaster areas due to heavy downpours.
KCA formed a dedicated task force for communications support in the disaster areas with President Lee Sang-hoon as the overall lead and will deploy personnel and equipment from its regional offices to the sites. The inspection team will visit harbors and ports where vessels are moored to check antennas, signs of flooding, and transmission and reception quality. If issues are found, it will guide necessary measures and repair procedures. There is no inspection expense for fishers.
LTE-M is equipment that supports communications at sea up to about 100 kilometers from land. It is used for transmitting vessel locations, distress calls, and receiving weather and navigation information, serving as an important safety tool in waters where cellphone signals do not reach.
KCA plans to continue inspections through the end of the year to check whether facilities were damaged by flooding and to prepare for fall typhoons. As a radio station inspection agency under the Radio Waves Act, it plans to use its personnel and testing capabilities for disaster response.
It will also provide relief supplies, including daily necessities and ready-to-eat meals, to affected residents and volunteers at recovery sites. Funds raised by executives and employees will also be delivered to the affected areas.