Samsung and KT Corp (formerly Korea Telecom) have been picked by the Republic of Korea Navy to build and deploy a 5G private network at a Korean Naval base.

The Korean Navy has chosen the two companies as part of an effort to strengthen its battleship and base operation support capabilities and achieve comprehensive base defense as part of its Smart Naval Port project.

Samsung and KT will deploy a fully independent network infrastructure for the Republic of Korea Navy 2nd Fleet.

The duo, which began work on the project earlier this year, are aiming to complete the deployment by December 2025.

Samsung will provide its private 5G network solution for defense. This includes the usage of its 5G Standalone Compact Core, indoor and outdoor radio solutions, and network management software. The vendor notes that its solutions support the mid-band (n79, 4.7GHz) spectrum, which is widely adopted for military usage.

KT will provide a standardized system for the Republic of Korea Navy as part of the project.

Samsung noted that the project will "establish a comprehensive Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure that encompasses 13 different systems, ranging from uncrewed vehicle operation to armory management and ammunition depot management."

A number of use cases have been touted, including a digital twin of the smart Naval base, intelligent security monitoring, and a one-stop battleship operation management system.

"Samsung’s Private 5G solutions are trusted due to their dependable security, reliability, and proven commercial expertise, already serving diverse private and public sectors in countries like South Korea, the US, and Japan,” said Simon Lee, VP and head of B2B·B2G business development group, networks business at Samsung Electronics.

“In collaboration with KT, we are excited to deploy Korea’s first Private 5G at a Naval base. This project exemplifies our ongoing commitment to enhance and unlock the potential of 5G to meet every customer’s needs.”