Minister Choi Ki-young: "5G Specialized Network, Considering Below 6 GHz... 3.5 GHz for B2C Use"

Minister Ki-young of the Ministry of Science and ICT is delivering a greeting at the "Press Video Meeting" held on the afternoon of the 22nd at the Ministry of Science and ICT press room in Sejong Finance Center, Sejong Special Self-Governing City. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] Choi Ki-young, Minister of Science and ICT, drew a clear line by stating that the 3.5 GHz adjacent frequency, which Naver, Samsung SDS, and others have shown interest in, is practically a B2C band reserved for telecom operators. However, besides the 28 GHz band planned for this year, there is a policy to discover usable bands within the 6 GHz frequency range for 5G specialized networks in the future.

Minister Choi stated at a video press conference held at the Sejong Finance Center in Sejong Special Self-Governing City in the afternoon, "The 28 GHz band is currently feasible for 5G specialized networks." 5G specialized networks are 5G networks that can be used only in specific areas such as buildings and factories. Unlike enterprise 5G that leases 5G networks from the three mobile carriers, these networks allow companies to receive frequency allocations directly from the government, hence also called 'local 5G.'

Regarding companies demanding specialized networks preferring the 3.5 GHz adjacent band, where 5G has been commercialized, instead of the 28 GHz band, Minister Choi said, "The 3.5 GHz band is for B2C use," adding, "We are looking into bands below 6 GHz. Although not immediately available, we are trying to make those usable as well." Heo Seong-wook, Director of Network Policy, also stated, "The 3.5 GHz band has been announced as a nationwide B2C band," adding, "According to forecasts by specialized institutions, mobile carriers will need additional frequencies from the end of 2022. Using the 3.5 GHz band for nationwide networks rather than limited specialized networks will have greater value and efficiency in terms of radio wave utilization."

On the timing of the 5G specialized network introduction, Minister Choi responded, "We will push to provide the 28 GHz band frequency within this year," and added, "We will also strive to enable the use of other bands as soon as possible if feasible."

On the same day, Minister Choi expressed concerns that the music copyright royalty rates, which the OTT industry is opposing, could realistically lead to user harm such as fee increases in the thousands of won range. He mentioned that domestic OTT companies like Wavve, TVING, and Watcha recently filed administrative lawsuits with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism over OTT music copyright rates, diagnosing that "there are some issues among stakeholders, so negotiations among the parties involved should also take place." He further explained, "There could be user harm related to this," and "The Ministry of Science and ICT is trying to mediate and resolve the issue if possible."

He also emphasized negative opinions regarding the increasing regulations on online platforms such as OTT, which are in the early stages of growth. Minister Choi said, "The principle of minimal regulation is a consensus reached together by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Korea Communications Commission, the Fair Trade Commission, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism," adding, "It is not desirable to keep creating new laws and increasing regulations significantly." However, regarding the criticism that there is a turf war among government ministries over OTT and other online platforms, he drew a line by saying, "This is not a conflict issue but a matter of creating synergy," and "We will cooperate well."

He was reserved about the introduction of a profit-sharing system being promoted by the political sphere. Minister Choi said, "Even during COVID-19, the ICT sector's economic situation is good, so discussions about profit sharing can naturally arise," and continued, "Looking further into the future, with digital transformation, some people may lose jobs, so some form of profit distribution will be necessary." However, he added, "Whether the government steps in or companies act autonomously, there could be various ways," and "It is not appropriate for me to specify what kind of system to create."

Along with this, Minister Choi said, "Unless there are special variables, clinical trials will be completed by the end of this year, and domestic COVID-19 vaccine development is expected to be possible early next year," adding, "According to the schedules of domestic pharmaceutical companies, Phase 3 clinical trials will be conducted around the end of this year, and products could be available early next year as per the roadmap."

He emphasized, "We do not know how long the vaccine's effectiveness will last, and there are many COVID-19 virus variants, so we cannot rely solely on overseas-developed vaccines," adding, "It is urgent to establish domestic vaccine and therapeutic development platforms. The government's policy is to support development until the end."

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