The total number of 5G mobile phone subscribers in South Korea has surpassed the 1 million mark as the country’s three telcos steadily expanded coverage areas and increased service quality, the government said Wednesday.

The number of cellular base stations came to 61,246 around the country as of June 10, up by 3,980 from June 8, with an increase of relay facilities to 143,275 units, up by 18,586 units.

The new milestone of 1 million subscribers was reached on Monday, 69 days after Korea became the first country in the world to officially launch 5G commercial services on April 3, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

To further improve 5G signal quality, the ministry said telecom carriers will install signal relay nodes at airports, KTX stations, large shopping malls and exhibitions with high population density from next week.

The ministry also said 5G base stations will also be installed for each subway line across the country, and it is in close consultation with authorities responsible for each route for quick service launches.

Telecom carriers and smartphone manufacturers have released software patches to address initial problems in reception and drops in connectivity speed. The upgrades were completed in more than 85 percent of subscribers, according to the ministry. Smartphone manufacturers are set to release various 5G smartphone models in the third quarter with improved 5G-specific functions.

By Shin Chan-ok and Minu Kim

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