SKT Receives Preliminary Approval for Two Global Standards Related to Quantum Cryptography Communication

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] SK Telecom announced on the 6th that two quantum cryptography communication standards, led jointly with its subsidiary IDQ (ID Quantique), were preliminarily approved as international standards at the ITU-T meeting held in an untact manner in Geneva, Switzerland, from August 24 to September 3.

The ITU-T meeting refers to the Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunication Union, a subsidiary organization of ITU, the world's leading international organization for telecommunications, where standards in the communication field are established.

The preliminarily approved standards will be adopted as final standards if there are no objections after coordination of opinions among member countries.

The preliminarily approved standards are ▲ Security key coupling and provision method for quantum cryptography communication networks (X.1714) ▲ Security framework for quantum cryptography communication networks (X.1710). Both technologies are essential core technical standards required to apply quantum cryptography to communication networks.

The "Security key coupling and provision method for quantum cryptography communication networks" enables hybrid operation by combining quantum cryptographic keys with encryption key generation methods of other types. Through this, not only is the security of existing encryption key methods enhanced, but the introduction of quantum cryptography communication networks is also expected to become easier.

The "Security framework for quantum cryptography communication networks" standardizes the security requirements that must be considered when applying quantum cryptographic key distribution technology to communication networks. To build a complete quantum cryptography communication network, it is necessary to establish security standards at the entire network level, including this framework.

This standard is expected to enable higher security and safe utilization of quantum cryptographic key distribution network systems.

SK Telecom is leading standardization efforts, including serving as the chair of the standardization working group within SG17, the communication security expert research organization within ITU-T. In addition to the two preliminarily approved standards this time, SK Telecom led the standardization of the "Quantum Random Number Generator Security Structure," which was finally registered last November, and in March this year, led the publication of a technical report on "Security Considerations for Quantum Cryptography Communication Networks."

In particular, at this meeting, SK Telecom led the establishment of a working group within SG17, the security expert research organization, to standardize future security technologies including quantum cryptography during the next ITU-T standard research session.

Meanwhile, SK Telecom has been leading the task by proposing the "Quantum Cryptography Communication Network Integrated Management Specification Standardization Plan" in the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) ISG (Industry Specification Group) QKD, which has been developing quantum cryptography communication standards since 2008.

Kim Yoon, CTO of SK Telecom, said, "The approval of these quantum cryptography communication network-related standards shows that SK Telecom is leading the international standard ecosystem in the field of quantum cryptography communication," and added, "SK Telecom will continue to lead quantum cryptography communication technology from standard establishment to network and terminal commercialization through continuous investment in quantum cryptography communication."

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