KT announced on June 21 that CEO Koo Hyun-mo and GSMA Secretary-General Mats Granryd discussed pending issues in the global ICT industry at a conference call on June 19 (Korea time).
This conference call is the first official venue for CEO Koo to communicate with GSMA due to the cancellation of MWC Barcelona 2020.
Through the conference call, Koo and Mats shared their views on breakthroughs and new opportunities to overcome the ICT industry crisis at a time when the global economy shrank owing to COVID-19 and uncertainties over the future outlook have grown.
They talked about Korea's response to Coronavirus, which is becoming a global role model based on ICT infrastructure and technology. In response, CEO Koo explained that the success factor is "3T," which leads to the Korean government's ICT-based test, trace, and treatment.
In particular, CEO Koo stressed that KT has been working with the government since 2016 to closely monitor the risk of overseas infections by launching a Global Epidemic Prevention Platform (GEPP), which has led to a reduction in the spread of infectious diseases in Korea.
Through such digital dynamics and tracking, the number of confirmed cases in the outbreak of the second MERS in Korea in 2018 could only be one, and it is managing the confirmed route in a stable manner even in the Corona situation, it added.
In addition, KT requested global cooperation led by GSMA, explaining that it could contribute to strengthening the global quarantine system through ICT-based research to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in cooperation with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since May.
CEO Koo stressed that the core of the post-Corona era is ICT capabilities, and that the telecommunication industry can play a big role. This indicates that ICT infrastructure and technology capabilities established by telecommunication industries can lead digital transformation of other industries.
"KT is working on its new vision of 'contributing to the development of Korea by reading changes in customer lives and innovations in other industries,'" said CEO Koo.
"We will play a decisive role in overcoming the limitations of traditional industries by further expanding the cases of 5G and AI-based B2B digital innovation not only through domestic cooperation but also through global partnerships in the future," he added.
Meanwhile, Secretary General Mats said, "KT CEO Koo's role as a long-time GSMA member and partner is important. We deeply appreciate KT's innovation in ICT services in various areas."
