5G Advanced Trials Propel South Korea's Industrial IoT Landscape in 2025
In 2025, South Korea is at the forefront of 5G-Advanced deployments, marking a significant stride in industrial IoT applications. A notable development is the successful completion of a Reduced Capability (RedCap) trial by Samsung and Hyundai Motor Company. This trial, conducted over a private 5G network at Hyundai's Ulsan plant, underscores the potential of 5G-Advanced in enhancing smart manufacturing processes.
The 2025 trial integrated Hyundai's Diagnostic Scan (D Scan) tool, leveraging Qualcomm's Snapdragon technology, to facilitate real-time vehicle assembly inspections. The RedCap technology demonstrated advantages over traditional Wi-Fi, including simplified device configurations, reduced bandwidth usage, lower power consumption, and improved performance metrics such as speed, data processing, connection stability, and low latency.
South Korea's commitment to 5G-Advanced in 2025 is further evidenced by the government's 5G+ Strategy, which includes the establishment of the '5G+ Innovation Centre' to serve as a hub for industrialization of 5G use cases . Additionally, the country announced plans in 2020 to construct 1,000 5G+AI smart factories and 100 “K-Smart Lighthouse Factories” by 2025, fostering strong state-business partnerships to drive this initiative.
The implications for the ICT market in 2025 are substantial. The integration of 5G-Advanced in industrial settings is anticipated to enhance operational efficiency, productivity, and innovation across various sectors. The private 5G network market in South Korea, valued at USD 0.18 billion in 2024, is projected to reach USD 1.50 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 30.0 percent from 2026 to 2033.
As 5G-Advanced continues to evolve in 2025, its role in transforming industrial operations through enhanced connectivity and automation becomes increasingly evident. The successful trials and strategic initiatives in South Korea position the country as a leader in the adoption and implementation of advanced 5G technologies within the industrial IoT landscape.
