5G Data Traffic in South Korea Set to Exceed 1 Million TB for the First Time
Seoul, Dec 22 (NationPress) The monthly mobile data traffic on fifth-generation (5G) networks is anticipated to surpass 1 million terabytes for the first time this month, according to industry officials on Sunday, driven by a spike in news viewership after President Yoon Suk Yeol's unexpected martial law declaration.
If it crosses the 1 million TB threshold, it will mark a significant milestone since South Korea launched the world's first commercial 5G network in April 2019, involving the nation's three main carriers: SK Telecom Co., KT Corp., and LG Uplus Corp.
Data from the Ministry of Science and ICT indicates that usage of this high-speed network has been consistently above 900,000 TB since April, reaching 996,782 TB in October, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
This month, the average data consumption per user on 5G networks is also projected to exceed 30 gigabytes for the first time, escalating from a range of 24 to 29 GB that has persisted over the past five years.
One industry expert noted, "The 5G data traffic per person has been stagnant around 29 GB for the last few years, but it is likely to breach the 30 GB mark due to the increased viewership of news on YouTube amid the impeachment proceedings against President Yoon."
The surge in network usage is believed to have intensified since December 3, when President Yoon announced martial law, accusing the opposition of hampering government functions with "anti-state activities." This declaration was swiftly rescinded after the National Assembly voted to overturn it.
During the martial law period, online services of the leading portal operator Naver experienced significant disruptions due to a sudden influx of traffic.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was approved with a 204-85 vote by the National Assembly on December 14 and is currently pending a ruling from the Constitutional Court.
