Major telecom operator KT Corp. and leading shipbuilding conglomerate Hyundai Heavy Industries Group said Thursday they will step up collaboration to develop advanced smart factory solutions based on the 5G network to improve efficiency and safety.

In May, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to join forces for a 5G-based smart factory. They have been working on projects to combine KT's 5G network, artificial intelligence and big data technologies with Hyundai Heavy Industries' robotics and shipbuilding expertise.

Following a 5G network rollout for enterprises in December, KT has been developing business-to-business services to expand use cases of the ultra-fast network and create new revenue sources.

On Thursday, senior executives of KT and Hyundai Heavy gathered at the telcom's Seoul office to share the latest technology development, including the automatic robot management system based on cloud computing space, a voice-recognition robot and other smart factory solutions, and discussed future strategies, the companies said.

"A smart factory is one of the key B2B models available on the 5G network," KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu said. "The companies will collaborate to drive innovation in the local manufacturing industry."

KT said its enterprise-focused 5G network adopts stronger security measures against hacking and provides professional solutions customized for local manufacturers.

With a remote monitoring system and big data analysis, KT said its smart factory solution will promptly detect robots' abnormal activities and reduce their error rates. (Yonhap)