Earlier this year, South Korea became the first country in the world to launch a 5G mobile network for public use.
Not only does the super-fast connection make your videos stream faster,... Korean mobile firms are using the network to improve productivity and quality of life for those in remote locations, such as farmers.
Oh Soo-young files us this report.
Farmer Kim Soo-young has for decades toiled through the storms and droughts that have affected his crops.
But he's about to start enjoying a slower pace of life.
He can now control an unmanned tractor using his tablet PC and the super-fast 5G mobile network.
LG U Plus on Tuesday unveiled its 5G farming solution, testing an automated tractor across 66-hundred square meters of land.
"While the tractor works, I can take a break or attend to other matters so I think the automated tractor would really improve work efficiency. It's also pricey to call a mechanic when the tractor isn't working so I think the smart solution system can help cut costs."
It uses a Real Time Kenmatic system,.... which corrects normal GPS signals to achieve positional accuracy of 3 to 10 centimeters.
Also, the farming solution runs real-time check-ups of the tractor,... and provides step-by-step instructions on how to replace parts,... through 3D virtual reality features.
The high tech solution is expected to help Korean farmers who have struggled in recent years.
According to government data, farmers experienced nearly 32 days of heatwaves last year,... a fourfold increase from 2014,... drying up their produce and income.
This also worsens the country's food security.
Korea's self-sufficiency rate for grains stands at 23.8 percent,... compared to the world average of 102.5 percent.
By 2021, LG aims to perfect its 5G farming solution to increase productivity as well as safety conditions for workers,... incorporating augmented and virtual reality, robotics and artificial intelligence.
"Our smart solution aims to mitigate the lack of workers amid the decreasing farming population while increasing the quality of life for farmers. We also think it will help enhance the competitiveness of the agricultural machinery sector."
"As the first country in the world to launch 5G,... Korean mobile firms are not only providing super-fast internet, they're aiming to use 5G to help elderly citizens, people with disabilities and remote communities overcome their physical limitations.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News, Goyang."