Seoul, May 5 SK Telecom suspended new subscriber sign-ups to its network on Monday as part of response measures following a recent company network data breach.
The nationwide suspension took place as the company focuses on replacing mobile phone USIM chips after it detected a cyberattack on April 18 that showed signs of a large-scale leak of customer USIM data, reports Yonhap news agency.
The government ordered SKT last week to halt new subscriber sign-ups until it resolves a shortage of USIM cards related to the data breach incident.
The company has offered free USIM replacements to all 25 million subscribers, including 2 million budget phone users, to prevent potential damage, but the efforts have lagged due to a limited supply.
A company official said about 1 million subscribers have so far replaced their USIMs, while 7.7 million others are signed up for replacements.
SK Telecom has also rolled out a USIM protection service, which it claims offers the same level of defence against illegal financial activity as physically replacing a USIM.
As of 9 am on Monday, 22.18 million people had signed up for the service, according to the company.
The official also said the company has yet to detect any cases of losses due to the stolen data so far.
To assist international travellers, SK Telecom has set up temporary booths at Incheon International Airport for on-site USIM replacements. Those using international roaming services are not eligible for the USIM Protection Service and are advised to replace their USIM chips to safeguard their data during traveling.
"From May 5, our 2,600 retail stores will halt new subscriptions and focus on replacing universal subscriber identity module (USIM) cards," Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ryu Young-sang said.
“The suspension will remain in place until we establish measures to address the USIM supply shortage. Mobile number portability (MNP) transfers from other mobile network operators will also be suspended,” he added.
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