Seoul, May 4 SK Telecom said on Sunday that nearly 20 million subscribers have signed up for its USIM Protection Service following a large-scale data breach.
A total of 19.9 million people had registered for its USIM Protection Service as of Sunday morning, while 956,000 have already replaced their universal subscriber identity module (USIM) chips, SK Telecom said in a daily briefing.
An additional 7.6 million subscribers have booked USIM replacements online, reports Yonhap news agency.
SK Telecom explained that the USIM Protection Service provides the same level of defence against illegal financial activities as physically replacing the USIM chip.
The company detected a cyberattack on April 18 that showed signs of a large-scale leak of customer USIM data.
In response, it offered free USIM replacements to all 25 million subscribers, including 2 million budget phone users, to prevent potential damage.
The telecom provider also urged users to register for its USIM Protection Service.
In a further step to enhance security, SK Telecom will temporarily suspend new subscriber sign-ups at its 2,600 retail stores nationwide starting Monday. This move comes at the request of the South Korean government to prioritise customer protection and USIM replacements.
Additionally, the company has implemented an automatic enrollment system for digitally vulnerable individuals into the USIM Protection Service.
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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