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Nearly 20 million SKT subscribers sign up for USIM Protection Service after data breach

Published: 04 May. 2025, 14:57

Travelers line up to change their SIM cards at the SK Telecom roaming center in the departure hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on May 4. [YONHAP]

SK Telecom (SKT) said 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 the service as of Sunday morning, while 956,000 have already replaced their SIM cards, SKT said in a daily briefing.

An additional 7.6 million subscribers have booked USIM replacements online.

SK Telecom explained that the USIM Protection Service provides the same level of defense against illegal financial activities as physically replacing the card.

The company detected a cyberattack on April 18 that showed signs of a large-scale leak of customer SIM data.

In response, it offered free SIM replacements to all 25 million subscribers, including 2 million budget plan customers, 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 Korean government to prioritize customer protection and SIM replacements.

Additionally, the company has implemented an automatic enrollment system for digitally vulnerable individuals into the USIM Protection Service.

To assist international travelers, SK Telecom has set up temporary booths at Incheon International Airport for on-site SIM replacements.

Those using international roaming services are not eligible for the SIM Protection Service and are advised to replace their cards to safeguard their data while they travel.

Yonhap