Daily Cyber Breach Briefing
Cumulative USIM Replacements Reach 6.18 Million
SK Telecom, which recently experienced a hacking incident, expects to complete its free USIM replacement program by June 20. On the previous day alone, an additional 150,000 users replaced their USIM cards, bringing the cumulative total to 6.18 million replacements.
Kim Heeseop, Head of PR Center at SK Telecom, stated at the daily briefing on the SK Telecom cyber breach held at Samhwa Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul on June 5, "We expect to be able to meet all remaining demand for USIM replacements within June."
Kim explained, "As of yesterday, an additional 150,000 people replaced their USIM cards, increasing the cumulative total to 6.18 million," and added, "There are 3.16 million customers with reservations remaining."
According to SK Telecom, the daily number of USIM replacements has been gradually decreasing since the beginning of this month. The company attributes this mainly to a reduction in store visits due to consecutive holidays such as the presidential election and Memorial Day.
Approximately 440,000 customers were notified that they could replace their USIM cards but have not yet visited a store. Excluding these customers, about 2.7 million people are still waiting for USIM replacement. SK Telecom plans to provide additional notifications to customers who have been informed but have not yet visited a store.
SK Telecom is also providing on-site USIM replacement services for military personnel stationed at front-line units, where it is difficult to leave for overnight stays, outings, or vacations. On June 4 and 5, the company replaced USIM cards for about 1,000 soldiers stationed in Goseong, Gangwon Province, and plans to support USIM replacements for about 1,000 soldiers stationed in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, on June 9 and 10.
It is expected that SK Telecom will resume new business operations around June 20. The Ministry of Science and ICT has stated that SK Telecom will be able to resume operations once the USIM replacement process is complete. While the company is communicating with the government regarding the overall situation, more time is expected to be needed for detailed discussions, especially since a new administration has taken office.
Regarding the issue of waiving penalties, Kim stated, "It is difficult to make a decision at this time due to concerns about fairness among customers and the potential impact not only on SK Telecom but also on partner companies." He added, "The Ministry of Science and ICT is reviewing the cause of the incident and responsibility, and plans to make an announcement in the future."
On this day, SK Telecom announced plans to increase its security investment and expand the number of personnel in charge. Ryu Junghwan, Head of Network Infrastructure Center, said, "We are increasing the scale of investment, but it is difficult to disclose the amount at this stage, as further investments will be made after the investigation is completed and security enhancement strategies are established." He added, "We plan to expand investment significantly compared to the past."
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