KT, South Korea's largest fixed-line and broadband operator, said it will send its fourth commercial satellite into orbit this week as part of efforts to expand its Asian operations.
Unlike previous KT satellites that helped telecommunications in local areas, the Koreasat-5 will cover other Asian countries, including Japan, China, the Philippines and Taiwan.
The satellite will start its service after four months of testing, KT said.
The Koreasat-5 will be launched from an area south of Hawaii.
The launch will be controlled by an assembly and command ship and a launch platform ship, KT said.
The satellite will replace the Koreasat-2 satellite in providing wireless communications and broadcasting services, the company said.
The launch of Koreasat-5 has been led by Sea Launch, a joint venture established in 1995 by Boeing of the US, Energia of Russia and several European companies, KT said.
KT, which put the nation's first commercial satellite into space in 1995, now has three communications satellites in orbit.