South Korea Refuses To Ban Huawei 5G Amid U.S. Pressure

Showing its global socio-economic and political power, the United States has not only “smashed Huawei out” in the homeland, but also asked many allies around the world to follow up on the cause and its stand against Huawei, but it has also encountered many nails, such as South Korea.

According to South Korean media reports, a South Korean diplomat revealed that in the fifth South Korea-US Strategic Economic Dialogue held on October 14, the United States reiterated the “clean network” plan proposed by US Secretary of State Pompeo in order to reduce national security risks. In name, pressure South Korea to stop using 5G equipment from Chinese technology companies such as Huawei.

Prior to this, the United States had included Korea Telecom and SK Telecom, the two major Korean telecom operators, on the list of so-called “clean telecommunications companies” that did not use Huawei equipment, and asked another operator LG Uplus to deactivate Huawei equipment as soon as possible.

However, South Korean officials responded that which equipment and technology telecom operators use is the enterprise’s own choice, and the South Korean government will not interfere in the decision-making of private enterprises.

The official said that he has explained his core position to the US and reviewed the importance of “cleaning the network”, but that one party asked the other to remove a certain company is not the content of the talks.

On July 28, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung Hwa told that South Korea would “uphold strategic openness in the technical field while working hard to maintain cybersecurity.” However, some South Korean diplomats believe it might take South Korea not long to stand up around the corner its still “debatable.”