KT said on Thursday it won the prime minister prize in the internet business category at the 21st South Korea Internet Awards for building an AI- and data-based safety management system for telecommunications facilities.

The South Korea Internet Awards is a government award recognising companies and institutions that contribute to the development of the internet industry and digital innovation. KT was highly rated for building ICT-based equipment management, 24-hour triple remote monitoring and a mobile safety management system across its buildings nationwide, and for expanding it into a fire prevention programme.

KT manages 348 of its buildings nationwide. Among them, major telecommunications equipment such as switching and transmission systems is installed at 317 sites, about 91%. To manage dispersed telecommunications facilities more efficiently, KT shifted its approach from on-site inspections and after-the-fact responses to a preventive and predictive safety management system.

To do so, it uses a facilities management system, or FMS, to integrate and manage an average of more than 16,000 inspection data points a day generated from about 7,000 major pieces of equipment nationwide. It digitises equipment operating status and inspection histories and uses data analysis to identify risk factors at each facility in advance.

KT also introduced an NFC-based mobile inspection system. It strengthened on-site safety management through a toolbox meeting, or TBM, before smart work. For fire prevention, it built a 24-hour triple remote fire monitoring system linked with KT Estate and KT Telecop. It also enabled rapid sharing of unusual situations and joint responses.

KT is expanding these technologies and operational experience to the public and private sectors. Its group companies expanded related services to 25 workplaces. KT plans to upgrade its safety management system by incorporating AI video analysis and energy optimisation technologies.

A KT official said, "We will continue to use AI and data technologies to lead innovation in safety management at industrial sites and contribute to raising the social value of digital technologies."