SK Telecom, KISTI Build Digital Twin for QKD Networks
SK Telecom and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) have created a digital twin designed to test quantum key distribution (QKD) networks before physical equipment installation. Indeed, the two Korean organizations introduced the system at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) 2026 in Malaga, Spain, which began on September 21. This tool allows operators to assess QKD network performance under various conditions without the upfront cost of expensive hardware, garnering significant interest at one of Europe’s premier optical communication events.
Digital Twin Simulation Capabilities
The system integrates SK Telecom’s Kubernetes-based quantum key management system with KISTI’s QKD simulator via an interface compatible with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standard. According to a report, when the key manager requests a quantum key, KISTI’s simulator recreates a QKD environment, providing the key and system status in real time. The companies state that this setup can model communication distance, optical loss, and equipment characteristics like reception efficiency and post-processing algorithms.
Once a QKD network deploys, altering optical cable lengths or compensating for optical loss becomes challenging. Furthermore, the high cost of equipment makes physically testing every configuration impractical. SKT and KISTI have moved this testing into a software environment.
SK Telecom’s QKD Initiatives
The two partners share the responsibilities for this project. SKT manages its key management system using hardware-agnostic containers distributed via Kubernetes, enabling scalability and verification against the network scenarios generated by KISTI’s simulator. KISTI, in turn, developed the simulator itself.
The companies highlight this as the first instance where a quantum key management system and a QKD simulator, developed independently by separate organizations, have successfully linked and publicly demonstrated. Since the interface adheres to the ETSI standard rather than a proprietary one, SKT indicates that the twin can connect with QKD equipment from other vendors.
Testing environments are increasingly becoming a distinct layer within quantum security efforts. Sectigo’s PQC Labs sandbox for post-quantum cryptography testing offers a comparable example of this trend, though it differs from this QKD simulation effort, it points to a similar strategic direction.
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