Huawei launches 5G lab at a low-key event in South Korea

The Chinese tech giant Huawei has launched an open lab for the next-generation 5G network in South Korea. As Reuters reports, the company kept the launch ceremony low-key as the company is facing a trade ban and blacklisting issues with the United States, who is an important security ally of the Asian nation.

Huawei being the world’s top producer of telecom equipment is planning to invest about $5 million in the 5G lab which is situated in the Junggu district of Seoul. Keeping the ceremony discreet the company did not reveal any more details regarding the location and the media was not invited at the event.

Huawei’s Korea said in a statement, “Based on the philosophy of “In Korea and for Korea” and the strength of its own 5G network, Huawei will build a 5G ecosystem through cooperation with a number of South Korean ICT companies and especially small-and-medium enterprises”.

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The launch event by Huawei was overshadowed by the US decision to ban American organizations including tech and telecom firms from doing business with Huawei. Moreover, Washington has also been forcing its allies to bar the Chinese tech giant from their 5G networks.

A person with knowledge of the launch event told Reuters, “Huawei wanted to promote the launch to as many Korean small-and-medium enterprises as possible, but it decided to keep the press out after the ban to avoid any damage to its Korean partners in case they are shown in media”.

According to Huawei, the 5G lab in South Korea is the company’s first open 5G services development centre in the world that will also allow other organizations to test their equipment with the services.

Currently, Huawei supplies its 5G network equipment to a small South Korean carrier LG Uplus, and LG Uplus says that it has no plans to remove Huawei gear, and promised to step up security checks as well.