Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon delivers remarks at a joint declaration ceremony held by the three major telecommunications companies on Thursday afternoon at the Korea Science and Technology Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, focusing on public trust, people’s livelihoods, and the future of telecommunications. From left: SK Telecom CEO Jeong Jae-heon, Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, KT CEO Park Yoon-young, and LG Uplus CEO Hong Beom-sik 2026.4.9 / News1

Representatives Jeong Jae-heon of SK Telecom, Park Yun-young of KT, and Hong Beom-sik of LG Uplus met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Lee Jong-ho on Thursday. They announced plans to boost this year's artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investment by 15% compared to the previous year.

Choi Woo-hyuk, Director of the Network Policy Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT, shared this information during a press briefing following a meeting with the heads of the three telecom giants at the Korea Science and Technology Center in Gangnam.

Choi reported that the Deputy Prime Minister reviewed the investment strategies of the three telecom companies and urged them to significantly expand investments in the telecommunications sector. This includes next-generation intelligent networks, which are crucial for establishing a robust AI infrastructure. He added that the three companies acknowledged the significance of investing in network infrastructure to prepare for the AI era. They collectively agreed to increase related investments by 15% compared to last year.

The meeting was organized to address how the telecommunications industry can rebuild public trust and tackle both current and future challenges in a rapidly evolving landscape. Deputy Prime Minister Lee called on the three telecom companies to enhance security measures, safeguard basic communication rights for all citizens, and ramp up investments in AI networks.

Representatives Jeong Jae-heon of SK Telecom, Park Yun-young of KT, and Hong Beom-sik of L …

AI Infrastructure Investment: SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus to Boost by 15% in 2026