KT to usher in commercial era for next-generation quantum cryptographic communications, expand test network nationwide

[Financial News] KT will expand its quantum cryptographic communications test network, currently centered on the Seoul metropolitan area and Daejeon, nationwide. It will also extend the demonstration distance for wireless quantum key distribution (QKD) from 4.8 km to 15 km, laying the groundwork for the commercialization of next-generation quantum communications technology.
KT said on the 22nd that it had concluded a kickoff briefing for the '2026 Open Quantum Testbed Upgrade and Expansion Project,' led by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), and would now begin work in earnest.
The project is a national strategic initiative to expand nationwide, by 2028, the quantum cryptographic communications test network built around Seoul, Pangyo and Daejeon. It aims to establish a foundation for validating the technology in real-world communications environments and applying it in industrial settings.
KT will be responsible for building and operating 'Section A,' a commercial hub, and 'Section C,' a future hub. In Section A, it will establish new connections centered on the existing Daejeon hub: Daejeon–Daegu, Daejeon–Gwangju, Daegu–Busan and Seoul–Chuncheon. Through this, KT plans to build a wide-area quantum cryptographic communications network spanning the Chungcheong, Honam, Yeongnam and Gangwon regions.
KT will also create an interoperability environment for different communications networks and equipment using domestically produced quantum cryptographic communications equipment. It plans to validate the technology in real service environments across a range of industries, including finance and healthcare, and expand its use to the public and defense sectors.
At the future hub, Section C, KT will extend wired quantum key distribution technology into wireless and satellite domains. Quantum key distribution is a technology that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to securely transmit encryption keys. KT plans to extend the demonstration distance for wireless QKD from about 4.8 km to around 15 km and apply technologies to correct optical signal distortion caused by changes in atmospheric conditions.
KT will also validate 'quantum entanglement distribution,' a technology that shares quantum states among multiple communications nodes. The plan is to secure core technologies needed to realize long-distance quantum networks.
Jeon Myeong-jun, head of the Enterprise Services Division in KT's Enterprise Business Division, said, "We will expand demonstration environments that public- and private-sector organizations and research institutions can use together, contributing to the commercialization of quantum technology in Korea and the vitality of the industrial ecosystem."
[email protected] Choi Hye-rim Reporter