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Number of subscribers leaving KT hits 270,000 with termination fee waiver set to end

Published: 13 Jan. 2026, 20:11

A telecom store in Seoul displays the logos of KT and LG U+ on Dec. 29, 2025. [YONHAP]

With KT’s waiver of early termination fees set to end Tuesday, about 270,000 subscribers have switched away from the carrier as of Monday. If demand to change carriers continues through the final day of the waiver, the total could approach 300,000, industry watchers said.

According to industry sources, 50,579 KT subscribers left the carrier on Monday — the highest single-day figure since the waiver began on Dec. 31. The spike was attributed to carrier-switching requests filed on Sunday, when back-end processing is suspended, being reflected together in Monday’s tally.

Of those who left on Monday, 32,791 moved to SK Telecom, while 11,522 chose LG U+. Another 6,266 switched to mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), often referred to in Korea as budget carriers.

During the waiver period, cumulative departures from KT totaled 266,782. Among subscribers who moved to one of the other two major carriers, 74.2 percent went to SK Telecom. Even when MVNOs are included, SK Telecom still accounted for the largest share at 64.7 percent, suggesting it reaped the biggest benefit.

If a last-minute rush of number portability transfers pours in on Tuesday, the final figure could land around 300,000 — far surpassing the roughly 166,000 subscribers who left SK Telecom when it waived early termination fees for 10 days in July 2025.

A message KT sends to customers through its app on Dec. 31, 2025, notifying them about the waiver of early termination fees. [YONHAP]

The industry attributes the surge to the relatively long waiver period and differences in compensation measures. SK Telecom is seen as having blunted churn at the time with a strong incentive — a 50 percent discount on service fees — while KT’s response, such as offering additional data, was viewed as less compelling.

After the waiver ends, the carrier-switching market is expected to stabilize and return to normal levels. KT, however, is still facing potential administrative penalties from the Personal Information Protection Commission over a personal data leak incident.

The commission is reportedly warning that procedures could take some time due to a lack of investigative manpower amid a series of major data breaches involving not only KT but also large firms such as Coupang.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]