"Prepare and Implement a Compensation Plan"
Daily Briefings Urged to Alleviate User Concerns
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on May 1 that it had issued administrative guidance to SK Telecom, instructing the company to completely suspend the recruitment of new users until the supply of USIM cards stabilizes, in order to prevent further damage following the recent USIM information leak incident.
The Ministry also demanded that SKT establish and implement a compensation plan for affected users. It further instructed the company to review additional measures raised by various consumer organizations, such as waiving penalty fees, providing compensation for damages, and easing the burden of proof for compensation claims.
The Ministry called on SKT to hold daily briefings to alleviate user concerns. The company was urged to transparently disclose information and clearly explain the current situation in a way that users can understand and feel reassured. In particular, SKT was told to provide subscribers with a detailed and proactive explanation of its commitment to 100% compensation in the event of damages resulting from this hacking incident.
The Ministry of Science and ICT also required SKT to submit an implementation plan for the blanket application of the "USIM Protection Service" to communication-vulnerable groups. This service is designed to prevent the activation of new mobile phones using leaked USIM information. On the previous day, at a National Assembly hearing of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, SKT CEO Yoo Youngsang pledged to apply the USIM Protection Service to vulnerable groups such as those aged 65 and older. On the morning of May 1, during an emergency meeting of the People Power Party's "SKT Consumer Rights and Personal Information Task Force," SKT also stated it would push for the blanket enrollment of communication-vulnerable groups in the USIM Protection Service.
The Ministry further requested that SKT significantly increase support staff at airports early this month, during the holiday period, to prevent users departing the country from experiencing long waits when replacing their USIM cards.
Given the recent frequent business system failures at SKT, the Ministry also instructed the company to ensure that number portability processing is not delayed by sharing information about such incidents immediately and restoring services promptly in the event of a system failure.
Kang Dohyun, Second Vice Minister of Science and ICT, stated, "These measures strongly urge SKT to address the issues that have arisen in the aftermath of the hacking incident, to provide transparent explanations as a leading national telecommunications operator, and to take more responsible actions to resolve the situation. The Ministry of Science and ICT will also make every effort to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."
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