South Korea’s top three mobile carriers ― SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus ― will bring their heated crosstown rivalry to global markets as they are set to clash over supremacy in fifth-generation network services in Spain in March.

According to officials Sunday, top executives of the companies plan to attend the Mobile World Congress, the industry’s largest annual gathering, which kicks off on March 2 in Barcelona.

Along with showcasing their latest technologies and services, the CEOs are expected to ramp up lobbying efforts targeting global ITC leaders as part of their ongoing battle to grab the “world’s first” title in the ultrafast 5G network service.

“While there are continuing disputes over who will start the first 5G service at home, they will compete to gain global recognition during the MWC,” said an industry source.

KT chairman Hwang Chang-gyu and SK Telecom CEO Jang Dong-hyun are board members of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association, the industry’s most influential decision-making body.

During the annual GSMA assembly meeting on the sidelines of the MWC, KT’s Hwang plans to deliver a keynote speech, titled “5G and Beyond.” He will unveil the company’s vision and strategy for the new 5G era, urging support to speed up its commercial adoption.

SKT’s Jang, who took office in December, will make his global debut at the MWC, with several meetings planned with executives of other global ITC firms.

LG Uplus’ Lee is also scheduled to hold a press conference to unveil the company’s 5G vision and discuss future partnerships on the Internet of Things with companies including Samsung, LG, Cisco, Huawei and Nokia.

The annual event has largely been dominated by device manufacturers and service providers rather than telecom companies, with consumer demand shifting quickly from voice calls to data use in recent years.

The atmosphere will be slightly different this year, as network carriers, especially those from Korea, are expected to set the agenda by focusing on new network technologies like 5G and the IoT, industry watchers said.

“Since the commercialization of the Long Term Evolution service, Korean firms have led the global mobile network trend,” said another source. “Keen attention is being focused on new technologies and services they will showcase at this year’s MWC.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)