KT to invest 1 trillion won to bolster customer security systems

KT staff at the KT network control center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi [KT]

 
KT announced Tuesday that it will invest more than 1 trillion won ($724 million) over the next five years in bolstering its information security systems to enhance services that directly reduce harm to customers, such as voice phishing.
 
KT unveiled its plans to overhaul its information security framework to improve customer safety and trust in a press briefing on Tuesday. The company plans to increase its annual information security budget from the current 100 billion won to over 1 trillion won over the next five years, according to the telecom.
 
 
“We can no longer protect customer trust with the complacent mindset that things are fine as they are,” said Lee Hyun-seok, KT’s executive vice president and head of the Customer Business Unit. “We will prioritize customer trust and move beyond the existing response system to proactively establish new security standards.”




How will the 1 trillion won be used?
 
The investment will focus on four key areas: strengthening AI-based monitoring systems, expanding global partnerships and diagnostic consulting, completing a zero-trust security framework — which continuously verifies users and devices while granting only minimum access — and increasing the number of dedicated security personnel.
 
KT plans to operate its proprietary “K-Security Framework,” designed to strictly manage every aspect of customer data protection. The framework consists of “K-Offense,” which conducts penetration testing from the attacker’s perspective, and “K-Defense,” an integrated technical and administrative security response system covering a wide range of attack surfaces.
 
“We aim to establish a predictive and preventive security system rather than merely a defensive one,” KT said. “We will regularize mock hacking and vulnerability improvement activities to pre-empt external threats through third-party security assessments.”
 

KT staff at the KT network control center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi [KT]

KT staff at the KT network control center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi [KT]

 
Through collaborations with global security firms, KT will design an AI-based security architecture. It also plans to operate Korea’s first integrated IT and network cybersecurity center, utilizing its nationwide around-the-clock monitoring infrastructure. The company intends to complete its zero-trust framework, which it has been working on for two years, through this investment and secure top-tier security talent to reinforce its risk response system.




What’s next for customers?
 
KT will also actively invest in developing services that customers easily recognize as security enhancements.
 
In the second half of this year, the company plans to commercialize “KT AI Voice Phishing Detection 2.0,” a service equipped with voice recognition and AI-fabricated voice detection features. This follows the real-time AI voice phishing detection service launched in January. Using more than 25,000 voice phishing data samples obtained through a collaboration with the National Forensic Service, KT’s upgraded AI analyzes the context of calls to detect risk signals and provides alerts in the form of “caution” or “warning.”
 
“The previous version achieved the highest detection accuracy among telecom providers at 91.6 percent and prevented an estimated 71 billion won in damages in the first half of this year alone,” KT said. “The goal for the 2.0 version is to raise accuracy to 95 percent and prevent over 200 billion won in damages by year’s end.”
 
KT also plans to enhance its AI-based spam text message filtering. After introducing a real-time AI keyword registration system for spam blocking, the daily number of blocked spam messages has increased by more than 150 percent. While AI-registered keywords account for only 5.5 percent of total entries, they are responsible for 45.9 percent of blocked cases, demonstrating high efficiency. In the latter half of the year, KT will improve its filtering structure to better combat emerging types of spam, such as those attempting to induce investment or prolonged conversation.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY YUN JUNG-MIN [[email protected]]