Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Private e-Um 5G enables 4D experience on Lotte World's flagship roller coaster
Models enjoy the Atlantis roller coaster, a 4D attraction enabled by e-Um 5G private network service, at Lotte World Adventure in southeastern Seoul's Jamsil area, Tuesday. The Ministry of Science and ICT and the amusement park said that the Atlantis, the most popular ride at the park, will be available in a 4D attraction version that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and heights over 100 centimeters through the private 5G network starting April 3. Courtesy of Lotte World Adventure
By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea expands use case of promising nonpublic network
Korea is expanding its ecosystem of the e-Um 5G network service, as an amusement park launched a virtual roller coaster ride that utilizes the high-speed and ultra-low-latency private network service, the ICT ministry said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said that Lotte World Adventure, an amusement park in Seoul, will feature 5G Atlantis, allowing visitors to experience a virtual roller coaster ride using the e-Um 5G network from Wednesday.
The ministry has been supporting the spread of various services utilizing the e-Um 5G network service, because using the nonpublic network will help upgrade the competitiveness of the country’s manufacturing and service industries.
"After more than two years of effort, the consortium that includes Lotte World and Newgens have developed the facility that can transmit high-capacity data such as videos without delay over long distances at high speed through the 28 gigahertz (GHz) network," the ministry said.
The Atlantis roller coaster is the most popular ride in the amusement park. This 4D ride version reproduces high-quality videos and movements collected through cameras and sensors installed on the roller coaster and transmits them in real time via the 28 GHz network using motion simulators, large screens and sound equipment.
The 4D attraction created by these technologies allows anyone over 100 centimeters tall to enjoy and experience the ride without delay, regardless of the weather, the ministry said.
"We hope that the realistic experience facility based on the specialized 28GHz network provides an opportunity for many people to directly feel the advantages of the network,” said Jeon Young-soo, director general of the ICT industry policy division of the ministry.
The private network service can be used only in specific areas or buildings, therefore, companies receive 5G frequencies from the government to launch their own network service. This allows organizations to use the service's ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency and ultra-connectivity. As the e-Um 5G service doesn’t use the public 5G network of telecommunications companies, it also guarantees improved security for users.
The government expects the e-Um 5G service to have a significant impact on domestic manufacturing and service industries and is encouraging the allocation of related network frequencies and strengthening the ecosystem.
According to market research firm Grand View Research, the global 5G private network market is expected to grow to $41 billion by 2030 from $1.6 billion in 2022.
Domestic companies are using this network service to enhance the competitiveness of various industries, especially manufacturing.
Naver was the first in Korea to establish its own e-Um 5G network, which was applied to its new office building that opened in 2022. Using the nonpublic network service, the company has been using various services such as autonomous robot services.
Hyundai Motor plans to introduce the e-Um 5G service at its Ulsan plant to improve production efficiency, and Samsung Electronics received an e-Um 5G frequency earlier this year and is building its private network at its Suwon site. Samsung expects to reduce costs and increase productivity through the faster and more efficient operation of production facilities compared to the existing wired network, and to achieve enhanced security and safety through the e-Um 5G network.