This image captured from a KT TV commercial shows Dr. Lee Guk-jong, head of Ajou University Hospital's trauma center, in joint training on the transportation of an emergency patient, using the firm's disaster and safety management platform based on the strength of its network infrastructure and ICT. / Courtesy of KT



By Jun Ji-hye



The nation's top mobile carrier SK Telecom (SKT) and the second largest KT have entered a heated marketing war ahead of the launch of the world's first commercial fifth-generation (5G) network services in March next year.



KT said Sunday that it has produced a TV commercial aimed at promoting its advanced 5G technologies that will help improve national disaster and safety management networks.



KT's ad came after SKT unveiled its 5G service brand, dubbed "5GX," and began to air related advertisements last month soon after a national frequency auction for the networks wrapped up.



LG Uplus, the smallest player, is expected to join the marketing competition as soon as the leadership under its new CEO Ha Hyun-hwoi is stabilized.



KT's latest TV commercial was designed based on the joint training on the transportation of an emergency patient of a maritime accident.



The commercial shows a simulated onboard fire billowing from a fishing boat with a major trauma victim in it. As soon as the accident is reported, the firm's unmanned airship, called Skyship, equipped with high-resolution thermal imaging cameras and drones, finds the victim in distress and transmits video clips to a Coast Guard control tower.



A rescue team member of the Coast Guard who arrives at the spot wears augmented reality (AR) glasses, enabling him to send high-quality images of the patient to Dr. Lee Guk-jong, head of Ajou University Hospital's trauma center, in real time. Then the doctor conducts remote medical treatment.



KT said its Skyship disaster and safety management platform, using mobile phone signals, will contribute significantly to reducing the response time for search and rescue operations in the early stages. It noted that the platform, which currently uses long-term evolution (LTE) networks, will be further improved when it is connected to 5G networks as the low latency communication technology in the 5G era will make ultra-scale connectivity possible.



"We planned this ad to inform the public of KT's 5G technology that will be needed throughout the country," said Kim Weon-kyung who heads the marketing strategy unit at KT.



On June 20, SKT unveiled 5GX, stressing infinite potential for innovation and new experiences.



The firm's ad features former figure skater Kim Yu-na, former football player Ahn Jung-hwan and former goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae, showing changes that 5G-related technologies _ including virtual reality, AR, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics _ will bring.



For its part, LG Uplus said it is also preparing for its 5G-related services, saying it will unveil them at an appropriate time.

