ETRI and the Three Major Mobile Carriers Push for International Standardization of Quantum Cryptography Transmission Systems
Published2019.10.31 10:53SDN/NFV Forum and Preparations for Commercialization of Quantum Cryptography
Research on standard technologies for domestic commercial quantum cryptography transmission systems will be further strengthened.
Dr. Yun Bin-young, who is conducting the session (Photo = ETRI)
On the 21st, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) held an SDN/NFV forum and an international standardization meeting at the Millennium Hilton Seoul Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, with about 30 people in attendance.
The quantum cryptographic communication transmission system is a network security technology that protects customer data transmission from hackers by combining quantum cryptographic communication technology and optical transmission network technology, based on Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technology.
Domestic telecommunications operators have been working to improve their technological capabilities for the commercialization of quantum cryptography technology. However, international standardization work was necessary to combine a quantum cryptography communication system composed of various units and an optical transmission system, and to commercialize it as a general-purpose technology.
ETRI hosted this meeting to enable domestic quantum cryptography research institutions to lead commercial system standards, and organized a special session on quantum cryptography transmission systems as a starting point.
At this meeting, the core modules and application system technologies of IDQ of Switzerland were introduced, and international standardization trends regarding the security and structure of quantum cryptography being promoted by SKT, KT, and LGU+ were discussed, along with the future direction of standardization by ITU-T SG15.
Currently, ETRI and the three mobile carriers are pursuing the development of a unique domestic standard for quantum cryptography transmission systems to provide commercial quantum cryptography services, and plan to link this with international standardization in the future.
Dr. Yoon Bin-young of ETRI, Chairman of the SDN/NFV Forum Standardization Working Group, stated, “It is significant that we have created a case where domestic telecommunication operators, equipment manufacturers including WooriNet, and government-funded research institutes have come together to lead the standardization of quantum cryptography communication in order to secure global technological competitiveness.”
The SDN/NFV Standardization Working Group is a standardization group that established the domestic T-SDN standard and led the commercialization of standard-based T-SDN technology by domestic telecommunication operators.
Kam Lam, co-chair of the meeting, said, “I felt Korea’s quantum cryptography communication technology and the telecommunication operators’ willingness to commercialize it,” adding, “It served as an opportunity to actively review the role of ITU-T SG15, an international standardization organization, for the commercial standardization of quantum cryptography transmission systems.”
The research team plans to complete a unique standard after conducting domestic standardization activities, and then receive feedback on the results obtained from this meeting at an international standardization meeting. We plan to make an official proposal.
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Domestic quantum cryptography technology is on the verge of adoption as an ITU international standard.
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