“We will ensure the success of the 5G pilot service through the stable operation of the competition communication network and broadcast relay network.”

KT Chairman Hwang Chang-kyu set out to Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province on the 16th to inspect the network preparations for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Chairman Hwang was accompanied on this site visit by key KT executives involved in the Olympics, including President Oh Sung-mok, Head of the Network Division, and Executive Vice President Kim Hyung-joon, Head of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics Promotion Team.

As the official telecommunications partner for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, KT is responsible for the competition's telecommunications network and broadcasting network. It also aims to showcase the world's first 5G pilot service in PyeongChang in February 2018. To this end, following the completion of the construction of the competition's telecommunications and broadcasting networks last June, it finished building a 5G pilot network centered around stadiums in PyeongChang and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, at the end of last October.

Chairman Hwang visited the 'Pyeongchang 5G Center' located at the Pyeongchang Ski Jumping Center to check the competition communication network and the readiness status of the 5G pilot service. At the site, Chairman Hwang received an explanation of 5G technology and personally measured 5G speeds achieved up to 3.2Gbps.

In addition, Chairman Hwang experienced the 'Olympic IPTV Real-time Multilingual Subtitle Service' at the 'PyeongChang 5G Center,' which allows foreign athletes, tournament officials, and spectators who do not speak Korean to enjoy broadcast coverage without language barriers. This service supports subtitles in six languages—English, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, and Spanish—on four terrestrial channels. Next, we moved to the cross-country stadium and checked the readiness of the 5G network outdoors.

'5G,' identified as the core infrastructure of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is expected to bring about industrial development and lifestyle innovations incomparable to previous network evolutions. For this reason, the eyes and ears of the world are focused on PyeongChang, where the world's first 5G pilot service is scheduled for February 2018. KT plans to showcase the excellence of Korea's ICT to the world once again through the 5G pilot service, while also accelerating its push for the world's first 5G commercialization in 2019.

KT is playing a significant role as a private ambassador both at home and abroad, such as by inviting global ICT leaders to Pyeongchang in February 2018. To ensure the invited VIPs and officials from global ICT companies could stay comfortably, KT recently completed remodeling of the Daegwallyeong Training Center in Pyeongchang to provide accommodation. Chairman Hwang Chang-kyu visited the Daegwallyeong Training Center and requested that the center's officials make every effort to ensure a warm welcome for the guests.

Chairman Hwang said, “We expect PyeongChang in February 2018 to be the venue for the second Olympic festival held in Korea and a stage to showcase Korea’s advanced 5G technology to the world,” adding, “KT will do its utmost to ensure the stable operation of the competition communication network and broadcasting network, as well as the success of the world’s first 5G pilot service.”