Park Sung-joong "Only 45 units of 5G 28GHz base stations... Should be boldly reclaimed"

by Cho Seulkina

Published 17 Feb.2021 17:16(KST)

Updated 18 Feb.2021 07:49(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] There have been calls to boldly reclaim the 28 GHz frequency band, where 5G network construction has been sluggish.

Park Seong-jung, the senior member of the People Power Party on the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee (STIBC), stated at the plenary session on the 17th, "By this year, 45,000 base stations should be installed for the 28 GHz frequency, but currently, only about 45 have been set up," adding, "This is merely one-thousandth of the target."

Park pointed out, "Mobile carriers spent 622.3 billion KRW in June 2018 to bid for the 28 GHz band," and said, "Despite losses amounting to hundreds of billions of won, carriers are not investing because it is like 'pouring water into a bottomless jar.'" He explained, "While speeds are indeed faster when installed in hotspot areas, there are many obstacles, and installation costs can be up to eight times higher, making investment difficult," and added, "Even if we twist the arms of mobile carriers, it is hard to procure 28 GHz frequency equipment."

Park emphasized, "The urgent task is to focus investment on the 3.5 GHz band to complete the nationwide 5G network early," and argued, "As the minister in charge, a decisive move is needed to boldly reclaim the 28 GHz frequency allocated to mobile carriers." He continued, "By returning the auction payment to the carriers and encouraging overall investment in the 3.5 GHz frequency, while promoting a 5G specialized network policy for the 28 GHz band to directly allocate it to demand companies for various projects, we can achieve better results."

In response, Choi Ki-young, Minister of Science and ICT, said, "We will cooperate to build as many 28 GHz base stations as possible within this year." He explained, "Since Japan and the United States are also making many attempts, we must not fall behind," and added, "Because we agreed to proceed together with the carriers, we need to monitor the situation for now."