KT, Telkom join hands for Indonesia smart city project

South Korean telecommunications giant KT Corp. announced Wednesday that it has secured a partnership with Telkom Indonesia, pushing development for the smart city project in Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara.

On Tuesday, the two telcos signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on Indonesia’s smart city project. The signing ceremony was attended by Moon Sung-uk, KT senior vice president and head of global business unit, and Rizal Akbar, manager of smart city development task force, at Telkom Indonesia’s headquarters in Jakarta.

On the same day, they also held a briefing session based on KT’s ideas and consulting on the realization of the new planned city.

Under the agreement, KT will share its cutting-edge ICT technologies, including quantum cryptography, cyber security and smart city solutions with the largest telco in Indonesia.

With a joint task force team, the two companies will discuss the business model for the new capital’s data centers, as well as ideas for the traffic system, the use of energy and the adoption of artificial intelligence.

“Security and stability are the most important factors in the smart city project,” said Rizal Akbar, manager of the smart city development task force. “We believe that South Korea and KT’s technologies are highly reliable and efficient, (and are) suitable for this new capital project.”

“As a digital innovation partner of Indonesia, KT will provide solutions for the smart city project by analyzing the extensive data and problems scattered in the city,” added Moon Sung-uk, KT senior vice president and head of the company’s global business unit.

As Jakarta is plagued by congestion and pollution, Indonesia has decided to relocate its capital to Nusantara on the island of Borneo, with the aim of building a new sustainable city.

KT and Telkom will also discuss various business projects related to the envisioned smart city, including data centers, transportation, energy and artificial intelligence.

Indonesia is currently pushing to relocate its capital to Nusantara on Borneo Island from Jakarta on Java Island in a bid to foster economic activity throughout the country and ease pressures in the current capital, such as traffic congestion and climate change.

“Through this cooperation, we expect to provide various services applied with KT’s advanced technologies not only in Indonesia’s new capital but also in other smart city projects across the country,” Moon Sung-uk, head of KT’s global business unit, said.

Calling for active investments in the new city, the Indonesian government has asked Korean companies with advanced technology and experience to participate in its capital relocation project, asking companies to join the Korean government-led consortium, One Team Korea. Korea Herald