A public-private consultative body will launch next month to build the next-generation network infrastructure essential to physical artificial intelligence (AI). The government and the telecommunications industry plan to discuss institutional improvements and regulatory easing to spur investment.
Bae Kyung-hoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, held talks with the CEOs of the three mobile carriers at SKT (030200.KS) Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 23rd to discuss network advancement and livelihood stability in the AI era. In his opening remarks, he called for next-generation network investment, saying, "Telecom companies are now more than simple network operators. They are AI infrastructure and platform companies that densely connect daily life and industrial sites so that AI operates continuously."
In response, the three carriers unveiled their investment plans for core infrastructure in the AI era. Chung Jae-hun, CEO of SK Telecom, said, "As one pillar of the government's three mega-projects, we will fulfill our responsibility and deliver strong results in AI, networks, and livelihood reform." Park Yun-young, CEO of KT, presented a vision to elevate Korea into an Asian hub through a preemptive 1 trillion won investment in submarine cables. Hong Beom-sik, CEO of LG Uplus, announced plans to implement AI-based autonomous operating networks, saying, "We will develop the Paju AI data center into Korea's reference factory."
The three carriers proposed that the government apply investment tax credits for AI data centers, create public demand for new technologies, and establish submarine cable support policies. Bae responded that the government is preparing measures including a unified permit window for AI data centers and regulatory exemptions, and that it would also review ways to expand investment tax credits. "We will discuss the regulatory improvements and support measures needed from the perspective of building overall AI networks, including not only AI data centers but also AI RAN (radio access networks)," he explained. Follow-up discussions to spur investment will center on the public-private consultative body to be formed starting in August.
The talks also addressed ways for the telecommunications service sector to contribute to livelihood stability. The three carriers agreed to soon announce measures to strengthen customer benefits, including expanded membership and partnership discounts in areas closely tied to daily life, and additional temporary plan benefits for young people and vulnerable groups.
Meanwhile, Bae will join President Lee Jae-myung's trip to the United States to discuss AI cooperation with local Big Tech companies. Meeting with reporters after the talks that day, he said, "The key is the cooperation aspect in which Big Tech companies will strengthen their investment in Korea," adding, "Rather than Korea investing in the United States, it is about the United States cooperating with Korea to invest and making a declaration to expand the Korean market."
