Korea’s Hydro & Nuclear Power Introduces SK Telecom’s Communications System for Quantum-Safe Data Protection

(AjuDaily) A secure communications system for quantum-safe data protection developed by SK Telecom, a top mobile carrier in South Korea, has been applied to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the state-run operator of nuclear power plants, to address concerns about hacking and security threats.
SK Telecom (SKT) said that its quantum key distributor (QKD) was applied to a communications network between KHNP’s head office in Gyeongju, some 270 kilometers (167 miles) southeast of Seoul, and the KHNP office of pumped-storage hydroelectricity in Samryangjin, about 62 km away.
The commercial application of quantum cryptography communication for KHNP was the first of its kind in South Korea and was pushed to strengthen the security of power generation facilities. SKT offers specialized 5G services with ultra-low latency while addressing potential security threats with a quantum cryptographic communication solution.
SKT and KHNP will start building smart plants based on 5G quantum cryptographic communication this year.