SK Telecom (SKT) recorded profit and revenue growth across all business sectors in Q2, and outlined plans to maintain full year capex at a similar level to 2020 to speed reaching nationwide 5G service coverage.

Capex dropped to KRW849.2 billion ($734 million) from KRW1.1 trillion in Q2 2020, but the operator earmarked KRW2.2 trillion to further improve its wireless and fixed infrastructure.

Its 5G subscriber base grew 130 per cent to 7.7 million, with overall customers up 1.6 per cent to 29.4 million. ARPU grew 1 per cent to KRW28,395.

Net profit grew 84 per cent to KRW795.7 billion due in large part to gains in its holdings in chipmaker SK Hynix.

Consolidated revenue rose 4.7 per cent to KRW4.82 trillion, with mobile service increasing 3 per cent to KRW2.56 trillion and handsets 5.3 per to KRW335 billion.

Total revenue of new ICT businesses (media, converged security and commerce) grew 10.1 per cent; its media business 8.7 per cent to KRW997.1 billion; security 14.5 per cent to KRW369.8 billion; and commerce 9.6 per cent to KRW211 billion.