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| KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu, left, shakes hands with Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Chairman Kwon Oh-gap during the two companies' workshop at Hyundai Heavy's headquarters in Ulsan, Monday. / Courtesy of KT |
By Jun Ji-hye
KT and Hyundai Heavy Industries Group vowed to step up their collaboration in developing fifth-generation (5G)-based smart shipyards to take the shipbuilding industry to the "next level," the telecom company said Monday.
The two companies held a joint workshop on the 5G digital transformation at Hyundai Heavy's headquarters in Ulsan, participated in by KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu and Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Chairman Kwon Oh-gap, along with other top executives.
The workshop was designed to boost the cooperation of the two companies in the application of 5G networks to shipyards, after senior executives of KT and Hyundai Heavy, including Chairman Hwang and Chairman Kwon, gathered at KT's Seoul office to share the latest technological developments in November.
In May, one of the nation's major telecom companies and the leading shipbuilding firm signed a memorandum of understanding to join forces to develop a 5G-based smart factory.
The two firms have since worked on a project to combine KT's cutting-edge technologies such as 5G networks and artificial intelligence (AI) with Hyundai Heavy' shipbuilding expertise.
During the workshop, KT Chairman Hwang and other executives experienced firsthand various digital systems that have been applied to Hyundai Heavy to ensure safety, reduce costs and increase productivity, according to the mobile carrier.
Advanced systems applied to the shipbuilding company include wearable neckband cameras powered by 5G, designed to send a 360-degree video to the integrated control tower in real time.
The device helps staffers respond to an emergency faster and engage in rescue operations more effectively, according to officials at the control tower.
Other systems are 5G-based UHD closed-circuit televisions, the telecom company said, noting that Hyundai Heavy officials check CCTV images using the Samsung Galaxy Fold in real time.
KT Chairman Hwang provided a special lecture in the afternoon, speaking about Korean telecom firms' launch of the world's first commercial 5G networks in April and sharing his insights on innovation through 5G and AI.
For his part, Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Chairman Kwon said developing 5G-connected smart shipyards will help the shipbuilding industry, which has been in the grip of a recession, make a rebound.
"Hyundai Heavy Industries Group will lead the innovation of the nation's manufacturing industry through cooperation with KT," he said.
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