SK Telecom has signed a deal with with Sunnada Communication to export 55,000 units of its RFID Reader USIM product, which could help businesses better manage products such as liquor and pharmaceuticals.

RFID is a technology which communicates through radio waves to exchange data between a reader and an electronic tag attached to an object in order to identify or track it.

The technology could be used to confirm the authenticity of goods such as liquor and pharmaceuticals and improve management of the products.

The exports of the RFID reader USIM will be the first since it was developed through a project assigned by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy from July 2009-June 2010. It was commercialized in July last year.

SK Telecom started supplying RFID Reader USIM from December 2010 since the National Tax Service made it mandatory for five Korean liquor companies to attach RFID tags to their products. Along with providing RFID Reader USIM to liquor retailers, SK Telecom also developed a mobile application that provides a system to check authentication of Korean whisky to prevent distribution of fake liquor and tax evasion in the distribution process.

In addition, SK Telecom is also providing RFID Reader USIM to Hanmi Pharmaceutical to be used for real-time distribution and inventory management of its medicinal products. Furthermore, tests are underway to apply RFID Reader USIM technology to businesses in other industries.