Photo = Yonhap news

 

 

[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] On May 1, the Ministry of Science and ICT advised SK Telecom to suspend all new mobile service subscriptions until its SIM card supply stabilizes, following a recent hacking incident involving customer data. The decision comes amid reports that some SIMs intended for existing customers were being used to activate new accounts, despite ongoing replacement efforts.



SK Telecom plans to secure 11 million new SIM cards by the end of June, but with over 25 million users on its network, a shortage is expected to persist.



The ministry also urged SK Telecom to waive termination penalties for users switching to other carriers and simplify the compensation process for affected customers. The company was asked to provide full compensation for any damage, improve transparency, and enhance protection for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled.



To support users traveling abroad during the holiday period, the government requested SK Telecom increase staffing to reduce wait times. The company aims to allow the SIM protection service to function even during international roaming by mid-May.

 

 

 

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