SK Telecom says no to gov't proposal to compensate SIM hack victims
Published: 30 Jan. 2026, 19:06
Updated: 01 Feb. 2026, 15:36
![A pedestrian walks by an SK Telecom store in Seoul on Nov. 21, 2025. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/01/001eec0c-e96a-4ad3-8374-e3005ede123d.jpg)
A pedestrian walks by an SK Telecom store in Seoul on Nov. 21, 2025. [NEWS1]
SK Telecom has refused to accept a government mediation proposal to compensate victims of a massive SIM hack in 2025.
SK Telecom submitted a written notice to the Korea Consumer Agency’s consumer dispute settlement commission on Friday afternoon, stating it would not accept the commission's December 2025 proposal to compensate victims 100,000 won ($69.3) each.
Because the proposal would have been applied on the same terms to other victims who did not participate in the mediation process, the total compensation amount was estimated at 2.3 trillion won.
SK Telecom said it had “carefully reviewed” the decision but cited its voluntary compensation efforts and pre-emptive security measures, as well as the “considerable ripple effects” of accepting the proposal.
The company added that it will continue to strengthen measures to restore customer trust and prevent further damage.
With SK Telecom’s refusal, the mediation proposal became void, and the case was closed without a settlement. Consumer dispute mediation takes effect only when both the complainant and the company accept the proposal. Victims now must turn to separate lawsuits in court.
SK Telecom has also filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a 134.8 billion won penalty imposed by the Personal Information Protection Commission for the August 2025 hacking incident.
The penalty was the largest ever issued since the commission’s launch. SK Telecom also refused to accept a separate mediation proposal from the commission that called for 300,000 won in compensation per victim.
BY EO HWAN-HEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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