[E-Daily Reporter Yun Junghoon ]KTCorporation(030200)is poised to reposition itself as an “AX (AI Transformation) Platform Company” that leads South Korea’s AX by combining the core network capabilities of a national telecommunications carrier with artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. Over the next five years, the company will embark on a large-scale investment totaling 18 trillion won, including 12 trillion won to strengthen its core competitiveness in areas such as information security and networking, and 6 trillion won to build infrastructure such as AI data centers (AIDCs).

Park Yoon-young, CEO of KTCorporation, held his first press conference since taking office on the 6th at the Pullman Ambassador Seoul Eastpol Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, and announced key strategies outlining these plans.

In the 100 days since taking office, CEO Park toured sites nationwide to inspect core telecommunications infrastructure—including information security and network facilities—and solidify the foundation for future growth.

“Even in the AX era, where the scope of connectivity is expanding from a people-centered to an AI-centered approach, KTCorporation’s core mission—to be responsible for South Korea’s connectivity—remains unchanged,” Park emphasized, adding, “We will further solidify the fundamentals of the telecommunications industry and achieve solid growth on that foundation.”

Investing 12 Trillion Won Over Three Years to Strengthen ‘Solid Foundations’… Building a Leap-Ahead Lead in Security, 6G, and Satellites

To strengthen its core—the starting point for growth—KTCorporation will invest a total of approximately 12 trillion won over three years in the fields of information security, IT, and networks.

First, the company will invest 4 trillion won in information security and IT innovation—double the amount invested during the previous three-year period. Under the “Zero Trust” principle—“Never trust anything; always verify thoroughly”—KT will completely redefine its company-wide security framework.

Key initiatives include integrating security operations and establishing governance, separating the roles of CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) and CPO (Chief Privacy Officer) while doubling the number of specialized personnel, and collaborating with external experts such as white-hat hackers.

In the network sector, the company will invest approximately 8 trillion won over the same period to achieve a decisive lead. The plan is to secure leadership in core future network technologies such as 6th-generation mobile communications (6G), satellites, and data center interconnect (DCI). In particular, as the only entity in the country to directly control and operate multiple satellites in both geostationary orbit (GEO) and low Earth orbit (LEO), the plan is to provide an uninterrupted communications network even during disasters and security crises, thereby securing South Korea’s communications sovereignty.

6 Trillion Won Investment for ‘Sustained Growth’… Leaping Toward Becoming an ‘Asian AX Connectivity Hub’

KTCorporation will invest approximately 6 trillion won to realize “sure growth” through AX infrastructure and service innovation.

On the infrastructure front, it will invest approximately 5 trillion won to build additional AIDCs with a total capacity of 1 GW (gigawatt) based on actual demand. By organically connecting central AIDCs—which handle large-scale training and inference demands—with “AI Edge” facilities located near industrial sites, KT plans to provide an ultra-low-latency, real-time inference environment nationwide, which is essential for the era of physical AI and autonomous driving.

In addition, 1 trillion won will be invested in proactive undersea cable infrastructure. The plan is to increase capacity by more than 90 Tbps (terabits) to attract investment in domestic AIDCs from global Big Tech companies and position South Korea as the “Asia AX Connectivity Hub.”

The company will also innovate its business model. In the B2B sector, it will provide industry-specific AX implementation tools for finance (Agentic AI), the public sector (Sovereign AI), and manufacturing and healthcare (Physical AI). In the B2C sector, it plans to address the inconveniences of existing telecommunications services through “hyper-personalized AX,” which includes customer-designed rate plans and benefits, as well as personalized services based on usage pattern analysis.

Future Growth Engines: ‘Token Factory’ and ‘Stablecoin’… Expanding Global Footprint

KTCorporation is launching its “Token Factory” and “Stablecoin” businesses—new AX growth initiatives designed to drive sustained growth based on its existing capabilities and assets.

As the shift from flat-rate to pay-as-you-go billing systems for AI causes “token costs” to skyrocket—a factor cited as the biggest bottleneck in the AI business—KTCorporation is building a “Token Factory” capable of supporting token generation, brokerage, and billing. Leveraging the ultra-precise billing and settlement capabilities accumulated through its telecommunications network operations, KTCorporation aims to develop this into a flagship AX business model.

At the same time, the company is entering the market for stablecoin-based digital financial platforms. The strategy is to lead the entire value chain—from issuance to custody, settlement, and the actual usage ecosystem—by fully leveraging the synergies of its group companies, including Kbank’s 16 million customers, BC Card’s 3.5 million merchant locations and payment/settlement capabilities, and KTCorporation’s highly reliable network and security infrastructure.

The group is also accelerating its push into global markets. By gradually integrating AX infrastructure and solutions, it plans to progressively expand its business reach beyond ASEAN to emerging markets (the Global South).

The company is also pursuing diversified partnerships to expand its ecosystem. While continuing to explore collaboration with Microsoft (MS), it will partner with global leaders such as Google and Palantir, as well as promising domestic AI companies like Upstage, Rebellion, and SALTLUX Inc. The goal is to broaden customer choice and help South Korea emerge as a leading AX powerhouse.