South Korea

6G·AI 경쟁력, 미드밴드가 가를까…美 주파수 추가할당 착수 [IT클로즈업]

Digital Daily | Local Language | News | Nov. 21, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

The United States has initiated a major reorganization of its spectrum policy to support the commercialization of 6G by 2030, focusing on securing mid-band frequencies, particularly the upper C-band (3.98–4.2 GHz). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to allocate between 100 MHz and 180 MHz of this band for mobile use by July 2027, transitioning it from fixed satellite and broadcasting services. This move aims to create contiguous mid-band spectrum critical for wideband 6G networks, addressing growing AI-driven uplink traffic demands and building on previous reallocations of the lower C-band.

In parallel, South Korea is also reorganizing its spectrum to prepare for 6G, with potential additional allocations in the 3.7–4.0 GHz band, currently designated as a "clean zone" for fixed satellite. A public hearing on 3G·LTE reassignment at the end of November 2025 is expected to reveal whether this band will be repurposed for mobile use. However, Korea faces different market conditions from the U.S., including stagnant 5G traffic growth and delays in transitioning to 5G standalone mode, which may impact operator demand and auction participation. The government is weighing these factors carefully to avoid risks associated with excessive allocation fees and poor competition.

Experts and industry stakeholders in Korea emphasize the need to move beyond a time-division duplexing (TDD)-centric framework toward incorporating frequency-division duplexing (FDD) in the low-band spectrum to improve uplink quality. Combining FDD low-band with TDD mid- and high-bands via carrier aggregation (CA) is expected to enhance 5G and future 6G network stability and coverage, especially indoors. There are calls for a shift from revenue-focused policies to investment- and quality-centered strategies that encourage infrastructure advancement and address network capacity limitations effectively.

Yonhap | English | News | Nov. 21, 2025 | Shifting Geopolitical Alliances

South Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina emphasized the need to resume maritime boundary talks with Japan under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) framework, following the expiration of their bilateral agreement on continental shelf boundaries earlier this year. She highlighted that UNCLOS remains essential for governing South Korea's maritime relations and called for cooperation, mutual understanding, and solutions based on international law in waters where maritime entitlements overlap.

Kim's comments refer to the joint development zone (JDZ) agreement between South Korea and Japan, which expired in June 2025. Originally signed in 1974 to jointly exploit resources in the East China Sea, the agreement became less favorable for South Korea after UNCLOS criteria, effective since 1994, prioritized Japan in determining continental shelf boundaries by distance, placing much of the JDZ within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

Maritime talks between South Korea and Japan were regular until 2010 but ceased amid broader historical disputes. While South Korea maintains similar dialogues with China, recent working-level discussions with Japan, including one in September 2024, have been limited to broad topics without concrete progress on boundary delimitation.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Nov. 21, 2025 | UndeterminedEmployment

A government investigation in South Korea has revealed widespread labor abuses against foreign workers, with 93 percent of inspected workplaces violating labor laws. The Ministry of Employment and Labor conducted two rounds of inspections in April and September 2025 at 196 workplaces vulnerable to worker mistreatment, uncovering 846 breaches across 182 workplaces. Common violations included unpaid wages at 123 sites, excessive working hours at 65, failure to provide breaks or holidays at 22, and assault or discriminatory treatment at 10.

Unpaid wages amounted to 1.7 billion won ($1.16 million), with 103 of the 123 workplaces repaying 1.27 billion won. Serious cases led to criminal charges, such as an assault case in South Chungcheong and wage evasion in Gangwon. Additional violations included failure to enroll foreign workers in mandatory insurance and inadequate dormitory facilities. Three workplaces hiring foreign workers without permits faced restrictions on future employment authorizations.

The ministry issued 844 corrective orders and plans to conduct further inspections, particularly targeting repeat offenders. Findings will be shared with key stakeholders to promote voluntary improvements in labor conditions. Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon emphasized that there should be no distinction between Korean and foreign workers in labor rights protection and committed to establishing an integrated support system for foreign workers.