[Weekly Signal] Korea's Top 3 Mobile Carriers Move to Expand Security Businesses ... Illegal Spam Warning Ahead of Chuseok

This week's telecom industry trends covered both the three major mobile carriers' expansion into security businesses and user caution over illegal spam. The article's themes were the expansion of the three carriers' security businesses and a warning about illegal spam ahead of Chuseok.

The three mobile carriers are pushing to expand their security business areas, including cloud and quantum security, while also strengthening their security capabilities. As telecom companies' efforts to expand their security business capabilities gather pace, the three carriers are accelerating efforts to strengthen security businesses beyond competition in networks and services.

As an example of this trend, SK Telecom is pushing to expand the security segment of its existing managed service provider (MSP) business. SK Telecom signed a partnership with global security company F5 for AI cloud security business cooperation and was also selected as an MSP partner for F5's cloud solutions.

F5 offers 'F5 Distributed Cloud,' a SaaS-based security platform for protecting applications and APIs in multi-cloud environments. SK Telecom said that through this cooperation it secured cloud security technologies such as web application firewall (WAF), API security, and defense against DDoS attacks.

Separately, the Korea Communications Commission warned of illegal spam ahead of the Chuseok holiday. The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) shared the current state of the related technology and industrial ecosystem in line with the expansion of the AI glasses market.

Last year, SK Telecom signed AI cloud cooperation agreements with SK AX and Amazon Web Services (AWS), and also formed a partnership with F5, pursuing related collaborations one after another. Based on these efforts, SK Telecom said it has expanded its existing MSP business into the security cloud sector.

However, SK Telecom recently lost out in the competition for the 'Security-Specialized AI Foundation Model Development Project.' It competed against the Naver Cloud consortium in this project, and SK Telecom is currently discussing whether to pursue a future security model business as well as whether to pursue security businesses in other areas.

KT recently unveiled its quantum-secure communications strategy at a B2B and B2G 5G business briefing. KT said it is considering the possibility that current cryptographic key systems could become ineffective if quantum computers are commercialized, and that it is developing a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) hybrid to respond to this.

Post-quantum cryptography is a next-generation encryption technology that uses complex mathematical problems such as lattice-based problems to prevent easy recovery of cryptographic keys even after future quantum computers emerge. KT explained that the PQC hybrid generates a final session key by combining newly created secret values with secret values from the existing method, making it a practical approach that allows a phased transition rather than a complete overhaul of the security system.

PQC based on USIM is being prepared with the storage location for major key-generation information isolated in a hardware-separated USIM, while the terminal handles the computationally intensive tasks.

Amid this trend toward stronger security, LG Uplus has been active this year in collaborations and acquisitions with security companies. In March, it signed a cloud environment optimization SASE business agreement at 'MWC 2026' with the global cybersecurity company Fortinet. SASE is a security architecture that integrates network security functions in the cloud.

Then in August, LG Uplus acquired domestic security company Fago Networks. Fago Networks has capabilities in threat detection, analysis, and response. The purpose of this acquisition is to advance the company's overall security framework and strengthen competitiveness in security businesses for enterprise customers. The strategic core is strengthening managed detection and response (MDR) capabilities, and MDR continuously monitors a company's security environment 24 hours a day and carries out threat detection, analysis, and response functions.

The company recently participated in the information security conference 'ISEC 2026' and unveiled an integrated security portfolio for enterprise customers.

The portfolio consists of the integrated identity management service (IDaaS) Alphakey, the cloud-based integrated network and security platform 'U+SASE,' and a cloud security package for small and mid-sized businesses.

The Korea Communications Commission also warned of bait texts (spam) aimed at stealing personal and financial information ahead of the Chuseok holiday. Together with the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), the commission asked mobile carriers and device makers such as Samsung Electronics to strengthen intelligent spam filtering.

The spam examples cited by the commission included messages such as 'Your gift has arrived, enter your delivery information' and 'Chuseok event.' These scams try to induce people to enter their home address and bank account number or to install malicious apps.

Such spam damage can lead to the theft of personal and financial information. It can also allow mobile phones to be remotely controlled, and additional damage can occur in which illegal spam is automatically sent without the user's awareness.

The commission stressed that normal text messages do not ask for unnecessary personal information or bank account numbers. It also said that messages containing URLs that prompt users to install programs must be checked in advance.

It added that if a message contains a URL from an unverified source, users can confirm whether it is legitimate through the KakaoTalk 'Bohorangna' channel. It said that when receiving a suspicious message, users should check such points as criteria for distinguishing it from a normal message.

It also explained that preconfiguring automatic blocking of security risks in mobile phone settings can prevent damage caused by installing 'apps from unknown sources.' If illegal spam is received, users can report it to the Korea Internet & Security Agency through the illegal spam easy-report app or the easy-report function on their phone.

Meanwhile, ETRI recently held the 'AI-In Glass Forum 2026.' The forum was held to examine AI glasses technology and the industrial ecosystem.

The forum was held with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT. It was also organized as part of ETRI's project, 'Development of AI in-glass technology for personal AI agents.'

The global AI glasses market is growing rapidly. Omdia estimated worldwide AI glasses shipments in 2025 at 8.7 million units, a level representing 322% growth from the previous year, and forecast that shipments in 2026 will exceed 15 million units.

ETRI expects the range of AI glasses applications to expand. The fields identified for expansion include support for industrial-site work, remote collaboration, education and training, and everyday services.

ETRI said that no single company or technology alone can turn AI glasses into a new industrial growth engine. It said core component and display companies should provide lightweight, low-power technologies, device companies should implement those technologies in wearable products, and spatial intelligence and AI companies should play a role in combining understanding of physical space with software services that meet user needs.

Lee Jeong-ik, head of ETRI's Spatial Media Research Lab, said that for AI glasses to grow into a new industrial platform, co-development of core components, displays, devices, spatial intelligence, and AI services is necessary. He said the forum will be developed into a venue for practical technology and business cooperation centered on companies, and that ETRI will work with South Korea's industry, academia, research institutes, and government to enhance the competitiveness of the country's AI glasses ecosystem.

Source: IT DAILY · Seong Won-young
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=241723

References

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