KT Corp., a major South Korean telecom operator, said Monday global robotics expert Dennis Hong will join the company in an advisory role to help boost its efforts to integrate new technology into their services.

Hong, a professor and the founding director of the Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory at UCLA, will advise the company on its broader robotics business, according to KT.

The move comes as the telecom operator has recently shifted focus to AI and robotics, and last year acquired a 10 percent stake in industrial robot maker Hyundai Robotics Co.

The company said Han Bo-hyung, a professor at Seoul National University and expert in deep learning research, will also serve in an advisory role for the company's AI development.

The company has recently restructured its business to focus on new tech businesses, deciding last week to sell its radio communications affiliate to local security equipment maker IDIS Ltd. and unveiling late last year a new brand focused on AI, big data and cloud services to cater to corporate clients. (Yonhap)