LGU+ Develops New Encryption Technology for Enhanced Security... Applied to Customer-Exclusive Network

Employees at LG Uplus Magok Office are examining a module with quantum-resistant encryption technology applied.
[Photo by LG Uplus]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] LG Uplus announced on the 10th that it has developed post-quantum cryptography (PQC) technology in collaboration with the Center for Industrial Mathematics at Seoul National University and Cryptolab, and applied it to customer dedicated network equipment (optical communication transmission equipment). It explained that this is the world's first case of applying post-quantum cryptography to customer dedicated network equipment. In the future, post-quantum cryptography technology will also be applied to 5G services and wired/wireless subscriber services.

Representative security enhancement technologies in the quantum computer era include the widely known quantum cryptography communication technology in Korea and the new field of post-quantum cryptography technology.

Quantum cryptography communication technology exchanges encryption keys through quantum physical properties, providing definite security in the key exchange domain, but requires separate quantum key distribution devices and stable quantum key distribution channels.

Post-quantum cryptography technology uses mathematical algorithms that would take billions of years to solve even with quantum computers, enabling security services for key elements of security such as key exchange, data encryption/decryption, and integrity authentication.

LG Uplus has been cooperating to develop encryption technology that cannot be broken even by quantum computers since signing a 'Wired/Wireless Post-Quantum Cryptography Field Business Agreement' with the Center for Industrial Mathematics at Seoul National University and Cryptolab in December last year.

Park Song-cheol, Executive Vice President and Head of NW Technology Operation Group at LG Uplus, said, "It is meaningful that we created a case where End-to-End security can be applied without separate infrastructure ahead of the post-quantum cryptography standardization to be conducted from next year," adding, "We will strive to develop technology to expand post-quantum cryptography technology in various 5G services to be commercialized in the future."

Cheon Jeong-hee, Director of the Center for Industrial Mathematics at Seoul National University, said, "I think it is very meaningful that post-quantum cryptography, which is attracting attention as encryption technology for the post-quantum era, was applied to communication equipment for the first time in the world," and emphasized, "Through follow-up research, we will replace encryption, authentication, and signatures used in the information and communication field with post-quantum cryptography that is safe from quantum computers, and closely cooperate with the industry so that Korea can lead commercialization."

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