Ministry of Science and ICT and Ministry of National Defense Sign MOU for Frequency Utilization Efficiency

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] To foster new industries based on advanced technology and build a strong national defense, the government is accelerating efforts to proactively and efficiently secure and utilize available frequencies.

On the 11th, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of National Defense signed a "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Frequency Utilization Efficiency" at the Ministry of National Defense building in Seoul. The two ministries agreed to ▲ secure and maintain mid- to long-term military frequencies and discover military-exclusive bands ▲ jointly investigate frequency usage status and establish frequency policies ▲ conduct research and development for frequency sharing ▲ personnel exchanges and professional workforce training, among other areas of mutual cooperation.

This comes in response to the recent advancement toward a wireless-based hyper-connected society, which has led to a rapid increase in demand for the scarce resource of frequencies. Frequencies are essential inputs that form the foundation of the 'sensory organs' and 'neural networks' for collecting and transmitting data, and the quantity and quality of frequency supply are directly linked to the competitiveness of networks, services, and industries.

Accordingly, the two ministries will first promote systematic linkage between mid- to long-term power requirements and frequency securing and supply, as well as organize frequency bands between civilian and military sectors and discover military-exclusive bands to secure radio resources. To this end, they plan to jointly investigate the current status of frequency usage, systematize usage information, and utilize it as basic data for policy formulation.

Additionally, to enable civilian and military sectors to share frequencies spatially and temporally, they will promote research and development on sharing technologies and interference reduction technologies to improve utilization efficiency. Furthermore, to enhance understanding of military frequency operations and strengthen cooperation, personnel exchanges and professional workforce development will be pursued. Cooperation details and specific procedures will also be prepared to improve the military’s frequency operation capabilities during wartime.

This agreement was promoted under a consensus that creating an efficient frequency usage environment for both civilian and military sectors is essential to discover and secure high-quality frequency resources. In particular, it is highly regarded for establishing a civilian-military collaboration system across the entire military frequency management, including joint development of frequency resources and professional workforce training.

Minister Choi Ki-young of the Ministry of Science and ICT, who attended the signing ceremony, said, “The success of 5G new industry-based innovative growth and smart defense innovation depends on how efficiently the core national resource, frequency, which forms their foundation, is utilized. I hope the two ministries will closely cooperate to develop and utilize radio resources well, thereby protecting the lives and property of the people and greatly contributing to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.”

Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo of the Ministry of National Defense also stated, “I hope that by organizing and developing frequency resources, we can enhance the competitiveness of Korea’s 4th Industrial Revolution and contribute to building a strong and smart military force that can respond flawlessly to any security threats.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.