Samsung Electronics and KT Corporation have been chosen by the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy to deploy a private 5G network for the Smart Naval Port (SNP) project.
This initiative, which is claimed to be the first of its kind at a Korean Naval base, aims to enhance the operational support capabilities of battleships and bases, and to achieve comprehensive base defence.
Since the summer of 2024, Samsung and KT have been collaborating on this project and are working towards a December 2025 completion date.
The partnership will establish an intelligent and fully independent network infrastructure for seamless coverage and enhanced connectivity for the Navy's 2nd Fleet.
The private 5G solutions are designed to support the national defence sectors, which require ultra-fast speeds and hyper-connected communications for foolproof and effective operation management.
Samsung and KT will apply smart, AI-enabled connectivity solutions to ensure military workplace safety and efficiency.
This support will power a variety of next-generation applications as part of the Navy’s Private 5G buildout.
The project will also establish an information and communications technology infrastructure, encompassing 13 different systems.
The project will include a digital twin of the SNP, offering a three-dimensional, high-definition digital replica to enable integrated management.
This system will serve as a foundation for strategy development and will provide insights to increase the base's resilience, efficiency, adaptability, and autonomy.
Intelligent security monitoring will be implemented to enhance base defence, featuring real-time video control of operational forces and vehicles, surveillance cameras, and drones.
This will be integrated with the existing video management system to provide a holistic view of the base and enable optimal operational response during emergencies.
Additionally, a one-stop battleship operation management system will be introduced to provide support through an all-in-one system, streamlining administrative work for Navy personnel.
KT Enterprise Public Customer Business Unit head and senior vice-president Jun-Ho Kim said: “KT will contribute to establishing a standardized system for the Republic of Korea Navy through the Smart Naval Port project.”
Samsung will supply its end-to-end private 5G network solution for defence, including the 5G SA Compact Core, radio solutions, and network management software for the mid-band spectrum used in military applications.
With Samsung’s compact solution for the full stack of private 5G that can operate on a single server hardware, the Navy is expected to have access to quick deployments and simplified operations.
The private 5G radios are designed to deliver improved uplink performance.
