Swedish-based telecom network maker Ericsson has announced it will be investing $1.5 billion over the next five-years in South Korea to build a research center to create fourth-generation network equipment.

Under the plan, Ericsson will employee a total of 1,000 people at its South Korean-based unit, up from just under 100 current employees.

Ericsson CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg announced the plan today during a meeting in Sweden with South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak.

The new 4G wireless technologies will be sold around the world to telecoms.