SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest mobile carrier, said Monday it has commercialized the world's first 5G-based disinfection robot in a move to automate anti-infection efforts against COVID-19 in health care facilities.

The telecom operator said it partnered with Yongin Severance Hospital to deploy the robot, which uses a real-time location system using a 5G network to roam around the hospital on its own and monitor people's temperatures and whether they are wearing masks.

The robot is also equipped with an ultraviolet disinfection system to remove bacteria and germs around the hospital.

SK Telecom said the robot can also detect the location of missing patients through its real-time location system and analysis of patient density within the hospital.

The robot is based on SK Telecom's existing guide robot brand Keemi.

Last year, SK Telecom developed an autonomous disinfection robot with Omron Electronics Korea, which was deployed at the mobile carrier's headquarters in central Seoul. (Yonhap)