South Korea has begun testing 6G technology with personal aerial vehicles (PAVs) in Ongjin County, Incheon City. At a signing event in front of City Hall, officials from the Incheon Housing and City Development Corporation, the Incheon Techno Park, Soomvi (a drone developing firm),the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Ongjin county office, as well as several other state-run companies and private firms came together.
Incheon is the first South Korean city to facilitate 6G technology and urban aerial mobility. The metropolitan government is overseeing the testing process, and supporting the development.
The new network will enable users to remotely control robots and other machines. Additionally, 6G will utilize advanced encryption technologies and AI-based security measures. It will keep data secure and private.
6G technology can facilitate other advancements such as autonomous driving, helping cities become more connected. Medical professionals can also efficiently perform operations in real-time with this network.
At the signing ceremony, Park Deok-soo, Administrative Vice-Mayor of Incheon, emphasized the importance of technological advancement in bridging social gaps among society. The new agreement will eventually make Incheon a leading city in terms of 6G expansion. The city plans to launch 6G in the next seven years.
The Incheon Metropolitan Government has been working with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute in Daejeon for the past two years. They are laying suitable infrastructure in the city for future 5G plus launches. The Incheon Metropolitan Government also plans to allocate a budget specifically for technologies.
Commercialisation of 6G Network by 2028
The 6G technology is not yet ready for commercial use. It is expected to be commercialized by the end of this decade. With higher capacity and lower latency, this technology can revolutionize communication and information consumption worldwide. It will also enable new augmented reality and virtual reality applications.
South Korea aims to be the first country to commercialize 6G. It’s hoping to launch 6G network and services by 2028. In 2019, it became the first country to launch a commercial 5G network. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has announced plans to create its own 6G network service using cutting-edge technology and software.
The South Korean government is also looking to incentivize local firms to develop materials and components for constructing the 6G network. The project is estimated to be worth $482 million.
As the fourth-largest Asian economy, South Korea accounted for 26 percent of 5G patents last year. However, China took a lead at 26.8 percent. South Korea is currently targeting to raise its patent percentage to 30 percent.
