The 6G Association will promote exchanges and communication between the satellite communications and 6G mobile communications fields.
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) recently announced the launch of a new initiative, the so-called “6G Association,” aimed at strengthening technological exchange and cooperation between the 6G mobile and satellite communications sectors, Korean media outlets reported.
The government pointed out that the “6G Society” was designed to promote communication and exchange between the satellite communications sector and the 6G mobile communications sector, which is becoming increasingly important as one of the essential technologies for 6G.
The ministry also emphasized that the organic integration of terrestrial mobile communications and satellite communications technologies will be key to realizing hyperspace communications services connecting land, sea and air in the 6G era. The ministry said it aims to develop 6G wireless communications with hyperconnectivity, ultra-low latency and hyperspace through continuous cooperation between the two fields from the technology development stage.
The government also explained that the 6G Association will serve as a bilateral consultative body between the 6G Forum, which is currently focused on the 6G mobile communications sector, and the Satellite Communications Forum.
With the new organization, the ministry plans to share standardization trends in the fields of mobile communications and satellite communications, and discuss technological developments and ways of collaboration on related technologies.
“It is very important to bring together industry, academia, research institutes, and the government to set 6G standards and ensure the technology for rapid commercialization,” said Ryu Jae-myung, deputy director-general of the Network Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Information and Technology. “We will continue to provide a forum for cooperation between the fields of terrestrial mobile communications and satellite communications so that we can carefully listen to the opinions of experts and reflect them in policies.”
In November 2023, MSIT announced a 440.4 billion won ($324.5 million) research and development plan for future 6G networks.
The ministry noted that the plan includes the development of technologies related to wireless communications, mobile core networks, 6G wired networks, 6G systems and 6G standardization.
The ministry also said it would work to standardize domestically developed 6G technology in line with international standardization requirements, which are expected to begin being formulated as early as next year, the report said.
South Korea’s 6G plans also include the development of mid- and high-band technologies covering the 7GHz to 24GHz frequency range to promote 5G network services.
The ministry also aims to showcase interim results of 6G network development in 2026 to play a leading role in setting international standards for next-generation network services, the report added.
Finnish vendor Nokia recently highlighted South Korea as a leading candidate to commercialize 6G wireless networks and related services by 2029.
Nokia also said that its future 6G plans in South Korea include working with the country’s major mobile carriers. The company has reportedly already partnered with three major South Korean telecommunications companies — KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus — and is focusing on research for future 6G systems.
