LIVE FROM MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS: SK Telecom has announced new mobile services focused on helping people manage their health more effectively.

“Our healthcare business will go into full swing starting this year,” said SKT’s exec VP and head of new business, Yook Tae-sun. “We have been promoting this sector of our business with a mid- to long-term perspective, supported by on-going R&D efforts and collaboration with key partners.”

The company’s new Health-On service, which will become available this month, aims to establish health management goals for users based upon their medical history as well as advice from doctors. This will include diet and exercise plans, remote consultation, and real-time management via mobile/web connectivity.

Health-On has been developed by Healthconnect, a JV between SKT and Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), with the idea of using SKT’s ICT technology and SNUH’s medical expertise to develop smart healthcare services.

SKT also showcased its new Smartcare, Patient Guide and Frend services as evidence of its intent to push further into mHealth, which follow acquisitions in healthcare business Nanoentek and X’ian Tianlong Science.

The operator believes that, in the long-term, it will be able to develop new markets for ICT-based medical devices, and also expand outside of Korea via further investments and partnerships with medical device firms.