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Key Points

SK Telecom can now accept new subscribers after replacing all 25 million USIM cards affected by a cyberattack. The South Korean government lifted its ban, stating the security goal was met. The telecom giant will prioritize USIM replacements for existing users while resuming services. New subscriptions start Tuesday at T World stores nationwide.

Key Points: SK Telecom Resumes New Subscriptions After USIM Replacement

  • SK Telecom completes 25M USIM replacements post-data breach
  • Ministry lifts subscription ban citing smooth USIM supply
  • New services resume at 2,600 T World stores
  • eSIM subscriptions partially resumed last week
2 min read

SK Telecom to resume new subscriptions after completion of USIM replacement

SK Telecom restarts new subscriptions after replacing 25M USIM cards following a cyberattack. Ministry lifts ban as security measures complete.

"We lifted the ban as the goal of our administrative guidance has been achieved. — Ministry of Science and ICT"

Seoul, June 23

The Ministry of Science and ICT here said on Monday it will lift a ban on new subscription sales by SK Telecom Co., following the mobile carrier's completion of universal subscriber identity module (USIM) replacements for its entire user base of 25 million.

SK Telecom is allowed to resume new subscription services starting Tuesday, the ministry added, reports Yonhap news agency.

The move comes about two months after the government suspended new subscriptions due to a data breach, in which sensitive USIM data may have been leaked during an unidentified cyberattack on the company's servers. The suspension remained in place while SK Telecom carried out a large-scale USIM replacement effort.

"SK Telecom has secured a sufficient supply of USIM chips, and its USIM booking system is operating smoothly," the ministry said. "We lifted the ban as the goal of our administrative guidance has been achieved."

However, the ministry instructed SK Telecom to continue prioritizing USIM replacement requests from users.

SK Telecom said new subscriptions will be available at its 2,600 T World retail stores starting Tuesday.

"We will provide services to new subscribers without interruption in close collaboration with our nationwide distribution network," the company said in a statement. "We will also continue supporting customers who wish to replace their USIM cards due to the security breach."

SK Telecom began offering free USIM card replacements in late April to all of its subscribers, including 2 million budget phone users, to prevent potential identity theft or financial fraud following the data breach.

The South Korean government had issued an administrative guidance demanding the company suspend new subscriptions at its retail stores nationwide until the replacement process is completed.

As the replacement neared completion, SK Telecom resumed limited new subscriptions using embedded SIMs (eSIMs) last week, according to the report.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Good to see SK Telecom taking responsibility after the breach. In India, we've seen similar cases with Airtel and Jio - but the response is usually much slower. Korean companies seem more proactive about data security. 👍
P
Priya M.
Replacing 25 million USIM cards in 2 months is impressive! But I wonder - why didn't they use eSIM technology from the beginning? It's more secure and would have prevented this whole mess. Indian telecoms should learn from this case.
A
Amit S.
The Korean government's quick action is commendable. In India, such breaches often go unpunished. Our TRAI needs to be more strict with telecom companies when customer data is compromised. Data security should be top priority!
N
Neha T.
While the response was good, I'm concerned about the initial breach. How did hackers access USIM data? As an Indian customer, this makes me worried about my own telecom provider's security measures. Maybe time to switch to eSIM?
S
Sanjay V.
Free USIM replacement for 25 million users must have cost SK Telecom a fortune! But it's the right thing to do. In India, companies often make customers pay for replacement SIMs even when it's their fault. We deserve better service.
K
Kavita R.
Interesting how they resumed eSIM services first. India is still lagging in eSIM adoption - most people don't even know about it. Maybe our telecom companies should promote this technology more aggressively after seeing this case.

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