Both SK Telecom and KT still operate 10 megahertz each in legacy 3G frequencies in South Korea
In sum – what to know:
Spectrum reassigned – South Korea will reallocate all 370 MHz of mobile spectrum, including legacy 3G bands, to existing operators to preserve service continuity.
3G remains for now – No telco has yet requested a shutdown of 3G networks; the government will review such moves based on consumer protection.
Future roadmap – Authorities plan to release a broader spectrum and AI policy framework, including 6G preparations, by year-end.
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has confirmed it will reassign all 370 megahertz of mobile spectrum — including bands currently used for 3G services — to the country’s existing telecom providers. The move ensures continuity of legacy networks for the time being and aims to avoid service disruption for remaining 3G subscribers.
Both SK Telecom and KT still operate 10 megahertz each in legacy 3G frequencies, prompting the ministry to prioritize uninterrupted service and user protection. LG Uplus, which transitioned directly to LTE, does not utilize any 3G spectrum.
“No telecom provider has formally requested to terminate their 3G networks,” a ministry representative said. “Should a request be filed, we will review it carefully based on the proposed user protection measures.”
While some parts of the spectrum could have been left out of the reallocation process without directly impacting LTE services, the ministry decided to reassign the full 370 megahetz to avoid any risk of reduced network performance. Officials noted that many 5G subscribers still rely on 4G LTE technology for stable coverage, further reinforcing the need for spectrum continuity.
The government also confirmed ongoing talks with domestic operators and industry stakeholders on the future distribution of additional 5G spectrum. A comprehensive policy roadmap — covering AI-powered services and laying the groundwork for 6G commercialization — is expected before the end of the year.
The 5G transmission speeds of South Korea’s three leading mobile carriers improved by an average of 9.2% in 2024 compared to the previous year, significantly enhancing the quality of 5G services, according to a report by the Korean government.
In major metropolitan areas, including capital Seoul and six other cities with the highest density of communication service users, KT ranked first in terms of 5G transmission speed. Nationwide, including smaller cities and rural regions, SK Telecom led in speed. The average 5G transmission speed across the three carriers reached 1025.52Mbps, up from 939.14Mbps in 2023.
The official data also showed that SK Telecom achieved a 5G speed of 1064.54Mbps, while KT and LG Uplus reached 1055.75Mbps and 956.26Mbps, respectively. While SK Telecom improved its speed by 77Mbps compared to 2023, KT narrowed the gap significantly with an increase of 106.87Mbps, according to the report.
The average 5G download speed in major cities was 1121.54Mbps, up from 1035.46Mbps the previous year. Small and medium-sized cities recorded 1101.53Mbps, a hike from 962.07Mbps in 2023. Rural areas, though still slower, improved to an average speed of 645.70Mbps from 607.86Mbps last year. Despite narrowing the gap between major cities and smaller cities, disparities with rural areas remain notable.
South Korea has been at the forefront of 5G technology, becoming the first country to commercially launch 5G services on April 3, 2019. This milestone was achieved through the simultaneous deployment by the nation’s three major telecommunications operators.
By the third quarter of 2024, 5G connections in South Korea had reached 36.11 million, according to previous reports. Korean operators had reached nationwide 5G coverage in April 2024.
