Effective “USIM Reset” to Be Introduced on May 12
Stored Data Such as Contacts and Certificates Remain Intact
"200,000 Customers Received eSIM Self-Activation MMS Over the Weekend... About 5,000 Completed the Conversion"
SK Telecom announced that it will secure a total of 10.77 million USIM cards by June in response to the USIM information leak incident, and aims to launch a Customer Trust Recovery Committee within two weeks to discuss compensation for damages, including penalty fees.
On May 11, SKT stated during a daily briefing on the hacking incident that it plans to receive and supply a total of 10.77 million USIM cards by next month. To date, 1.43 million customers have actually replaced their USIM cards, while 7.22 million customers have applied for replacement and are waiting, and the cumulative number of customers with reservations has reached 8.2 million.
Lim Bongho, Head of SKT’s MNO Business Division, said, “All customers with reservations will be notified about USIM replacement by June, but the rate of customers who actually visit after being notified is typically around 50 to 60 percent.” He added, “Some customers may find processes such as digital certificate reissuance or data backup inconvenient, and may choose 'USIM reset' instead of physical replacement.” USIM reset is a method that resets the USIM information on the network without physically replacing the chip, and will be introduced from May 12 as a measure to address the shortage of USIM cards. Lim emphasized, “Resetting provides the same security effect as physical replacement.” As with the existing replacement process, this service will be offered first to customers who receive a USIM replacement notification and visit a T World store.
SKT also announced that it is forming a 'Customer Trust Recovery Committee' as a follow-up measure to the USIM information leak incident and to restore customer trust, with plans to launch it within one to two weeks. This committee will be composed mainly of external experts, and the selection of committee members is currently underway. Kim Heeseop, Head of PR Center, said, “The committee will prepare measures to restore trust from the customer’s perspective,” adding, “Details regarding the committee’s composition, list of participants, and operation will be disclosed as soon as preparations are complete.”
Meanwhile, SKT is also offering an 'eSIM self-activation' service as part of its response to the USIM information leak. The eSIM self-activation service allows customers to switch from a physical USIM to an eSIM directly on their mobile device without visiting an offline store. SKT explained that the original eSIM activation process involved 10 steps and was quite complex, but it has recently been simplified to five steps, minimizing complicated input procedures.
Lim stated, “We are providing guidance mainly to customers with eligible devices who have made reservations,” adding, “Over the weekend, a total of 200,000 customers were notified via MMS, and about 5,000 of them actually completed the conversion.”
According to SKT, replacing a physical USIM card costs 7,700 won due to the need for a physical chip, whereas eSIM can be downloaded in software form via the network, costing about 2,750 won, which is relatively cheaper. However, eSIM is tied to the device, so if the device is changed, a new eSIM must be issued, which is a drawback.
In addition, starting May 12, SKT will automatically enroll all customers in the USIM Protection Service. This security service is designed to prevent duplication of existing USIM cards and will be automatically applied to all customers, regardless of whether they replace their USIM card.
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