Choi Won-suk is a photojournalist at The Korea Times. Before joining the newspaper, he also worked as a photojournalist with AFP and St. Joseph News-Press in Missouri. He spent 13 years in the United States, graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Master of Arts in Photography from Ohio University - Athens. Over the past 11 years, Choi covered various news events such as presidential elections, the 2019 North Korea-United States Hanoi Summit and 2022 Qatar World Cup. But above all, Choi believes in local journalism and finds a lot of joy telling life stories of ordinary citizens in small neighborhoods.
How does 5G technology work?
5G is the generation of wireless technology that follows 4G LTE mobile connections. It operates on higher radio frequencies called millimeter waves which allows it to deliver data more quickly but its signal doesn't travel well through physical objects such as buildings and houses, and its waves can be absorbed by rain and humidity.
Millimeter waves also have limited range. They cover less than one square mile from the cell tower, only allowing devices in close proximity to link to the network.
In January, a group of 250 researchers from around the world signed a petition asking for further investigation on the impact of 5G technology on humans.
Shaven-headed young boys wear VR devices to experience 5G service at LG UPlus 5G experience place in Seoul, South Korea. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
By Choi Won-suk
They fear radio frequency radiation from devices including cell towers, smartphones, WiFi signals, TV antennas might have adverse effects on human health.
5G could also reduce the accuracy of weather forecasts. 5G networks transmit at nearly the same frequency as weather satellites and could produce a signal similar to water vapor. This could throw off predictions and reduce accuracy by 30 percent. (Next Animation via Reuters)