Press Conference Held on the 22nd to Encourage Nationwide Class Action
"The Largest USIM Information Leak Incident Ever"
"Aiming to Become a Law Firm Representing the People in Response to Public Demands and Wishes"
"If SK Telecom were in the United States, it would have already gone bankrupt."
On May 22, law firm Daeryun held a press conference to encourage public participation in a lawsuit regarding the SK Telecom information leak incident and called for a thorough investigation by law enforcement agencies. Daeryun is preparing to file a criminal complaint and a civil damages lawsuit on behalf of SKT subscribers. The amount of damages is set at 1 million won per person, and the firm expects about 1,000 people to join the lawsuit by early next week.
More than 10,000 inquiries... 234 people have filed so far
Kim Kukil, CEO of Daeryun, held a press conference titled "SKT Personal Information Leak Accusation" at the firm's Seoul headquarters in Yeouido on this day. He stated, "We plan to file a damages lawsuit involving about 1,000 people this week or, at the latest, by early next week," and added, "The claim amount per person has been set at 1 million won."
This means that the total amount of damages claimed by victims of the SKT USIM information leak is expected to reach at least 1 billion won. So far, Daeryun has received inquiries from 10,840 customers regarding SKT, and 234 people have actually participated in the lawsuit.
Kim explained, "This case is the largest USIM information leak incident in history," and said that the compensation per person was set at 1 million won, considering the time and effort subscribers had to spend to replace their USIM cards and the mental distress they suffered. He also noted, "We are receiving agreement signings and initial payments from victims in real time, and the number of participants continues to increase." The litigation cost is 100,000 won, and Kim announced that the firm will recruit a second group of plaintiffs until the end of this month.
He referenced class action lawsuits in the United States, stating, "If SKT were in the U.S., it would have already gone bankrupt." He continued, "Currently, SKT's stock price is fluctuating around 51,000 won, with no significant changes. They are even reluctant to waive penalty fees," and added, "In the U.S., whether one person or ten people file a class action, all subscribers are compensated."
Complainant questioned the previous day... "Breach of trust and obstruction of official duties"
Earlier, on May 1, Daeryun filed a criminal complaint on behalf of one SKT subscriber, accusing SKT CEO Yoo Youngsang and the security officer of breach of trust and obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means. An additional opinion was submitted on May 16. The complainant was questioned at Namdaemun Police Station the previous day.
Regarding the breach of trust charge, Daeryun believes that there is evidence of intentional cost-cutting and disregard for security in SKT's overall information protection measures. Kim cited the following points: not installing security programs such as antivirus software, storing USIM information in plain text without encryption, and failing to make sufficient investments in information protection despite being the industry leader. Last year, SKT's investment in information security amounted to 86.7 billion won.
According to Kim, during the complainant's questioning the previous day, the investigator asked, "Can the SKT CEO be considered a person who handles the affairs of others, and what damages did the complainant suffer?"
In response, Daeryun stated that the SKT CEO is "a person responsible for safely storing and managing USIM information," and explained that in the context of breach of trust, damages include "the risk of loss," since USIM information could be misused for fraudulent financial transactions.
Choi Tae Won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is speaking at a meeting with the heads of five major economic organizations inviting presidential candidates held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul on May 8, 2025. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Regarding the charge of obstruction of official duties, Daeryun raised the possibility of intentional false reporting, pointing out a discrepancy between the time SKT first became aware of the hacking and the time it reported the incident to the Korea Internet and Security Agency.
During the questioning the previous day, the investigator asked, "Which official duties of the Korea Internet and Security Agency do you believe were obstructed?" In response, Daeryun answered, "They interfered with the agency's work in identifying the cause and scope of the hacking incident." The investigator also checked whether the complainant was an employee of a competing telecommunications company or had been instigated by someone else. In response, Daeryun attorney Son Gyejun stated, "The complainant is an ordinary office worker."
Possibility of filing a complaint against SK Group Chairman Chey Tae Won
Kim also revealed that, in addition to the current case, 14 more SKT subscribers will soon submit additional complaints. He stated, "We will continue to make efforts until the issue is resolved so that we can become a law firm that represents the people, in response to the demands and wishes of the public."
He argued, "SKT did not even know that malicious code had been in its system three years ago," and insisted, "A thorough investigation by law enforcement is needed to determine whether information security investment funds were diverted to help other affiliates or used for M&A activities."
He continued, "This is why a criminal complaint is absolutely necessary. Law enforcement needs to clarify where the operating profit went and why it was not invested in information protection, as this will serve as the basis for damages in the civil lawsuit."
Kim also hinted at the possibility of including SK Group Chairman Chey Tae Won as a defendant in the future. He said, "It is questionable whether the decision on information security investment was made solely by SKT itself," and added, "That is why the defendant should include the group chairman. Whether or not to name the group chairman as a defendant will be decided according to the situation."
Finally, he urged SKT subscribers, "For those who have not yet joined the class action, the opportunity remains open, so please participate. Please pay attention so that this kind of incident never happens again."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
