SKT Establishes Global Quantum Cryptography Standards... Two Technologies Adopted as International Standardization Projects

At the ITU-T SG13 meeting, Team Leader Sim Donghee of SK Telecom (second from the left) is taking a commemorative photo with the SG13 chairpersons.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] SK Telecom is taking the lead in establishing global technical standards to popularize quantum cryptography communication.

SK Telecom announced on the 18th that it proposed two technologies related to the management and interconnection of quantum cryptography communication networks at the ITU-T meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland. ITU-T is a subsidiary organization of the ITU, the world's leading international organization for telecommunications. The proposed technologies were adopted as international standardization tasks. After discussions among dozens of countries within ITU-T, these technologies will be established as global standards.

The technologies adopted as standardization tasks at the meeting are two key technologies necessary for the expansion of quantum cryptography communication: an integrated management SDN (Software Defined Network) system for interconnecting quantum cryptography communication networks, and a federated quantum cryptography communication network.

The integrated management SDN system for interconnecting quantum cryptography communication networks helps integrate and manage telecom operators' existing communication networks with quantum cryptography communication networks. By utilizing this system, telecom operators can efficiently manage quantum cryptography communication networks integrated with their existing networks without needing separate management.

Notably, the proposed system (standardization plan) is significant because it can integrate and manage quantum cryptography communication networks using quantum key distribution (QKD) devices from different equipment manufacturers. By using this system, telecom operators can build quantum cryptography communication networks with multiple equipment providers, accelerating the expansion of the quantum cryptography communication ecosystem.

The federated quantum cryptography communication network technology can be likened to quantum cryptography roaming. Just as roaming connects networks between different countries to provide cross-border communication services, this technology interconnects quantum cryptography communication networks of different operators, enabling customers connected to networks built by different operators to enjoy secure communication services based on quantum cryptography.

Previously, quantum cryptography-based communication was only possible among users connected to the quantum cryptography communication network of the same operator. However, once the quantum cryptography communication network federation standard is completed and commercialized, quantum cryptography communication between customers using different operators' quantum cryptography communication networks will be possible, allowing more customers to enjoy secure communication services. Additionally, by federating national quantum cryptography backbone networks with telecom operators' quantum cryptography communication networks, joint roaming will be possible in emergency situations.

In the 6G era, where terrestrial and satellite networks are connected, it is expected that quantum cryptography communication services in partnership with satellite communication operators will become possible through the federated quantum cryptography communication network technology.

Along with this, SKT has also received approval to promote standardization work on the interconnection structure of quantum cryptography communication networks in cooperation with other countries and organizations.

SKT, together with the SKB consortium and IDQuantique, has built quantum cryptography communication pilot infrastructures in a total of 17 public, medical, and industrial sectors and discovered application services while conducting projects under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Furthermore, SKT is pushing for entry into the defense and public markets in collaboration with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in cryptography.

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