S. Korean telcos to take part in MWC 2022 next week amid virus fears

South Korea’s three major mobile carriers said Monday they will participate in the upcoming mobile technology trade fair in Spain to showcase their latest technologies despite growing coronavirus woes.

The three telecommunication companies — SK Telecom Co., KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp. — said their respective CEOs will participate in the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022, set to take place from Feb. 28 to March 3 in Barcelona.

The MWC is one of the top three tech events in the world, along with the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States and the IFA in Germany.

At the MWC, South Korean mobile carriers are expected to promote their 5G services and innovative products related to the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

SK Telecom said it will demonstrate a four-dimensional metaverse service that allows users to experience Meta Planet, a virtual world created by the company, on a robotic arm.

KT is also expected to showcase the company’s latest technologies, including an AI robot designed to combat the spread of infection and purify air in indoor spaces.

It marks their first in-person participation in the trade fair in three years as the MWC was held online last year and was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The telcom operators said they will strictly follow COVID-19 guidelines during their trip to the MWC to prevent the spread of the virus. Last month, multiple businesspeople who participated in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas contracted COVID-19.