S. Korea seeks ways to develop satellite communication technology for 6G commercialization

SEOUL -- South Korea will unveil a government roadmap before October to help expedite the development of satellite communication technologies which are essential for the commercialization of 6G. Companies called for government support because satellite communication costs a lot of money to test technology.

As a frontrunner in disseminating 5G mobile services, South Korea aims to achieve the world's first commercialization of 6G mobile telecommunication in 2028. 6G has a shorter transmission distance than 5G. Base stations should be built more closely than 5G to eliminate shaded areas. A 6G network can be commercialized only when a high-performance network on the ground and satellite communication are combined.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said it held a conference with experts and company representatives on strengthening the competitiveness of South Korea's satellite communication industry. "The global satellite communication market is rapidly expanding and growing, led by the private sector, not by the government," Vice Minister Jang Seok-young said in a statement.

Participants reached a consensus that South Korea should actively respond to changes in technology and markets as the satellite communication service market will grow rapidly, led by private companies.

"More than anything else, we will provide active support so that our technology and industry will secure the highest level of competitiveness in the global satellite communication industry in the future, based on close cooperation between the public and private sectors," Jang said.