SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus will cooperate with the government to expand investment in next-generation networks to respond to the AI era. They will also help stabilise livelihoods by easing the burden of telecom bills and expanding partnership benefits.

Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon (배경훈) held a meeting with the heads of the three carriers on July 23 at SKT's headquarters in Seoul to discuss AI-based network upgrades and measures to stabilise livelihoods.

In opening remarks, Bae stressed that telecom operators should transform beyond traditional network companies into "AI infrastructure and platform companies". He urged them to become companies that tightly connect daily life and industrial sites so AI can operate continuously.

Bae and the three company heads reviewed progress since their previous meeting. The three chiefs, including SKT Chief Executive Jung Jae-heon (정재헌), KT head Park Yoon-young (박윤영) and LG Uplus head Hong Beom-sik (홍범식), held their first meeting with Bae in April and discussed revamping rate plans, including expanding a data relief option (QoS), and boosting AI investment.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said key agenda items were being carried out steadily. Rate plan changes and priority transmission for emergency rescue communications have been implemented in stages since June. A consultative body of chief information security officers is also being operated to strengthen security capabilities.

On the day, the three carriers stressed their commitment to expanding next-generation network investment. SKT announced its strategy for the evolution of future networks, including 6G and intelligent base stations (AI-RAN). KT presented steps to expand undersea cable capacity, diversify landing stations and secure competitiveness in low-Earth-orbit satellite networks. LG Uplus introduced plans to build 5G standalone mode (SA) within the year and implement an AI-based autonomous operations network.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will pursue institutional improvements to spur network investment. It will operate a public-private consultative body from August to comprehensively discuss network investment and improvements to telecom regulations with the three carriers. It will announce the results within the year.

The three carriers will also step up their role in stabilising livelihoods. They will expand partnership benefits in areas closely related to daily life and will announce within the month measures to provide additional temporary benefits on rate plans for young people and vulnerable groups. They will avoid inducing subscriptions to high-priced rate plans and will continue to improve wholesale rates for budget carriers.

Bae and the CEOs of the three mobile carriers agreed after their first meeting in April to operate a quarterly CEO consultative body. The aim is for the government and industry to jointly discuss tasks related to information protection, livelihoods and future investment, and to restore public trust that has fallen due to repeated telecom security incidents.

Bae said, "The government and the telecom industry will cooperate to advance AI-based networks and work so that all citizens can enjoy the benefits of communications, the internet and AI."