South Korea orders SK Telecom to strengthen data security after leak

On Friday, South Korean officials mandated SK Telecom to enhance its data security and levied a fine after the nation’s largest mobile operator experienced a cyberattack that led to the exposure of 26.96 million user data records.

The actions were taken following SK Telecom’s announcement in April that it experienced a significant breach of customer data due to a malware incident. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on Friday that it plans to levy a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,970), and SK Telecom is required to implement security measures quarterly, have its chief executive officer directly manage data governance, and enhance staffing and investment in data security.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won expressed regret last month for the data breach, and SK Telecom stated it would accept complete responsibility for any damage inflicted due to the incident, which has raised concerns among its 23 million users regarding the potential theft of personal and financial data.

The mobile provider announced it will begin providing free universal subscriber identity module (USIM) replacements to all 23 million customers at over 2,600 retail locations across the country in response to the cybersecurity breach. As of late June, SK Telecom reported that approximately 9.39 million users have switched their USIMs.