KT Loses 50,000 Customers in Four Days After Penalty Waiver... 71% Switch to SKT

52,661 Customers Port Out from KT
Over 20,000 Leave in a Single Day on January 3

Since the implementation of the penalty waiver, the cumulative number of customers who left KT over four days has surpassed 50,000.

A collective shopping center in Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

According to the telecommunications industry on January 4, a total of 52,661 customers left KT between December 31, 2025, when KT began waiving penalties, and January 3, 2026.

Among the users who left KT, 71% switched to SKT. Including budget phone carriers, 65% of KT's departing customers chose SKT.

On January 3, which was the first weekend after the penalty waiver began, the number of customers who left KT in a single day reached 21,027.

This was the first time the daily number of departures exceeded 20,000 since the penalty waiver was introduced.

Of these, 13,616 switched to SKT, 5,467 to LG Uplus, and 1,944 to budget phone carriers.

According to Choi Minhee, Chairperson of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, as of December 28, 2025, the cumulative number of KT USIM card replacements was 189,100, and the number of reservation applications was 124,800. As of the same date, KT's USIM card inventory stood at 3,488,000 units.

According to the telecommunications industry, as the trend of customers leaving KT continues, concerns are rising over excessive competition, with some specialty retailers reportedly selling the latest iPhone 17 Pro for as low as 480,000 won.