The state-run Korea Post chief Kang Seong-ju said artificial intelligence and big data are key to addressing a global decline in mail volume, in a panel discussion at Universal Postal Union World CEO Forum held Wednesday, according to Korea Post.

As a panelist in a session of the forum, Kang introduced Korea Post’s efforts to adopt AI and drones to “develop a future delivery system” that helps mail to be delivered to remote areas that are difficult to reach. 

He also presented a big data center that opened in March, designed to make use of a database of 3.8 billion mail deliveries per year.

Kang said such moves in Korea are designed to “proactively address shifts with the arrival of the ‘fourth industrial revolution.’” The worldwide industry has suffered a decline of 10.3 percent in mail volume on average over the past five years.

Mail volume in Korea decreased in tandem, to 3.5 billion as of 2017, seeing a 16.7 percent drop in four years from 4.2 billion in 2013, according to an estimate by Korea Post.

Separate from the panel discussion, Kang signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkish counterpart Kenan Bozegeyik.

UPU World CEO Forum is organized by UPU, an agency affiliated to the United Nations. This year, the event was hosted by Turkish Post in Istanbul, Turkey, and was attended by chief executives of postal services from over 60 nations.

By Son Ji-hyoung 
(consnow@heraldcorp.com)