SK Telecom Sees First Subscriber Increase Since Hacking Incident... Cumulative SIM Replacements Reach 9.37 Million

816,000 Users Switched Carriers Before Sales Resumed
SK Telecom Records Net Subscriber Increase on First Day of Resumed Sales

Sales of new SK Telecom subscriptions, which were completely halted following the SIM hacking incident in April, fully resumed on the 24th. It has been 51 days since the SIM hacking incident, during which 190,000 subscribers left for KT and 150,000 for LG Uplus over the past month. The photo shows an SK Telecom agency in downtown Seoul. 2025.06.24 Photo by Yoon Dongju

SK Telecom, which resumed new subscription sales, saw an increase in subscribers for the first time since the hacking incident.

According to the telecommunications industry on the 25th, SK Telecom recorded a net increase of 257 subscribers on June 24, the first day of resumed sales. Specifically, 136 subscribers switched from KT to SKT, while 121 moved from LG Uplus to SKT.

From April 26, when the hacking incident emerged, to June 23, a total of 816,000 people switched their telecommunications provider from SK Telecom and SKT-affiliated MVNOs.

The number of users who moved from SK Telecom to KT, LG Uplus, or their respective MVNOs was recorded at 619,000.

The number of subscribers who switched from SKT-affiliated MVNOs to KT, LG Uplus, or their respective MVNOs was 197,000.

According to SK Telecom, as of midnight on June 24, the cumulative number of SIM replacements reached 9.37 million, with 30,000 SIM replacements occurring on that day alone.

An SK Telecom representative stated, "We have completed the distribution and posting of posters announcing the resumption of sales across our distribution network," and added, "We are supplying sufficient devices and SIM card inventory to distribution channels to ensure smooth activations."

Since June 23, SK Telecom has been implementing care services for customers with disabilities and senior citizens, which will continue through September. The company plans to visit more than 200 welfare facilities nationwide for people with disabilities and senior citizens to provide SIM replacement and smartphone care services.