SK Telecom has signed a business agreement with a consortium jointly promoting the commercialization of UAM to successfully complete a government demonstration project and launch tourism and public service routes in 2025, establishing a UAM transportation system and customer services optimized for the Korean environment.

SK Telecom, Korea Airports Corporation, Hanwha Systems, Korea Transport Institute, and Korea Meteorological Administration announced on the 12th that they signed a business agreement for joint participation in the K-UAM Grand Challenge hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and commercialization of commercial routes in 2025.

The signing ceremony held at Korea Airports Corporation on the afternoon of the 12th was attended by Korea Airports Corporation President Yoon Hyung-joong, Hanwha Systems CEO Eo Seong-cheol, Korea Transport Institute Vice President Yoo Jeong-bok, Korea Meteorological Institute President Ahn Young-in, SKT CEO Yoo Young-sang, and consortium officials.

The SKT consortium said it would accelerate specific collaborations to provide stable services in both urban and non-urban areas.

■ Expanding partnerships with five leading UAM companies and institutions

SKT is In January 2021, Hanwha Systems formed a consortium with Korea Airports Corporation and the Korea Transport Institute, and is leading commercialization as the "K-UAM Dream Team," representing the service, aircraft, infrastructure and research fields within the government-led "UAM Team Korea."

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) will join this business agreement to lead research on local weather observation and forecasting technologies, which are key to ensuring UAM operation stability.

■ Continued cooperation from commercialization of tourist routes to urban areas by 2025

The SKT consortium announced that it plans to participate in the first phase of the K-UAM Grand Challenge demonstration project hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport next year, verifying the technologies and solutions possessed by each company in a dedicated non-urban environment test site and establishing an interconnection system.

At the same time, he said that he would sufficiently accumulate various business capabilities related to UAM before commercialization in urban areas, with the goal of launching UAM business for tourism and public use in 2025.

SKT was responsible for developing and operating a mobility platform, building a communication system for UAM, and strengthening UAM verification through collaboration with Joby Aviation of the United States.

SKT CEO Yoo Young-sang stated, “We will make every effort to establish a UAM transportation system and customer service optimized for our country’s environment, and we will do our best to accelerate commercialization by collaborating with the country’s most capable partners.”