SK Planet, a data analysis subsidiary of top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co., said Thursday it will invest 15 billion won (US$13.2 million) in local cancer diagnostics firm Bertis in a move to expand its presence in the digital health care industry.

The move will make SK Planet the second major shareholder in the privately held company, which develops artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology in protein analysis for early diagnoses of major diseases, such as breast cancer.

SK Planet said in a joint statement with SK Telecom that the two companies will collaborate with Bertis beyond the investment in AI technology and also support its entry into overseas markets.

The move comes as SK Telecom has made recent efforts to ramp up focus in the health care sector.

In March last year, the mobile carrier established a digital health care joint venture, Invites Healthcare, with local private equity firm Newlake Alliance Management.

SK Telecom currently offers a subscription-based genetic analysis service through the joint venture.

The wireless carrier is also a major shareholder of Nasdaq-listed X-ray startup Nano-X Imaging Ltd.