Seoul: SK Telecom Co., South Korea's leading mobile carrier, announced it will offer free universal subscriber identity module (USIM) replacements to all customers following a recent network hacking incident that involved a potential leak of subscriber information.
According to Yonhap News Agency, SK Telecom Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ryu Young-sang made this announcement during a briefing in Seoul. The hacking incident reportedly occurred last Friday, raising concerns over subscriber data security.
"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and concern this incident has caused to our customers and the public. As a precautionary measure, we will offer free USIM replacements, including eSIMs, to any customer who requests one," Ryu stated.
The replacement service is set to commence at 10 a.m. on Monday. Customers who were subscribed as of last Friday, when the company identified signs of a security breach, will be eligible for replacements at SK Telecom's T World stores nationwide and airport roaming centers.
SK Telecom has confirmed that a malicious code, installed by hackers, led to a suspected leak of USIM-related data. The USIM, which stores personal authentication information used to access mobile networks, can be exploited to allow criminals to clone users' identities or intercept text messages.
The company emphasized that it is taking the matter seriously and will continue to enhance its data protection measures as investigations proceed.