SKT, "Increased Public Support Fund as a Minimum Defense Level Against Competitors"

SK Telecom announced on the 27th that it raised the public support fund for major models such as the Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16 last weekend, stating, "Competitors are also increasing subsidies and incentives, so we are responding at a minimum defense level to conduct business at sales points."
SK Telecom said this in response to the criticism at a hacking incident briefing held at Samhwa Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul, that it had increased subsidies not only for device changes without carrier movement but also for number porting subscribers moving from other carriers. After the hacking incident, SK Telecom received administrative guidance from the Ministry of Science and ICT not to accept new subscribers and number porting demand to focus on smooth USIM replacement. However, this applies to the 2,600 T World stores nationwide, consisting of agencies and direct stores, and does not apply to sales points that conduct business with the three telecom companies.
As SK Telecom implemented a weekend policy to raise public support funds, the number of subscribers noticeably increased. Due to the USIM stock issue, the policy was uniquely under the condition of eSIM activation. The number of subscribers moving from KT and LG Uplus to SK Telecom, which had been below 1,000 since the recruitment was suspended on the 5th, was 648, and continued to maintain the 100s. However, in the statistics reflecting the increase in public support funds last weekend, the number of subscribers moving from KT and LG Uplus to SK Telecom increased to 3,033.
Im Bong-ho, head of the MNO (Mobile Network Operator) division, said, "We have raised the incentive for new recruitment at sales points to prevent the departure of existing customers as much as possible and are strengthening the support policy for eSIM users." He said about the change in support fund policy to recover subscriber departures after the hacking investigation results come out at the end of next month, "It is difficult to say definitively at this point." Regarding the damage to agencies due to the suspension of new business, he reaffirmed the principle of compensation and said, "We will be able to reveal specific compensation plans at the time of lifting the suspension of new recruitment."
SKT emphasized that the newly supplied USIM stock is sent to direct and agency stores, and all except for the portion used for some device changes is put into replacement work.
Kim Hee-seop, PR Center Director, said, "If we create and present a plan to restore customer trust through conditions where USIM replacement is smoothly carried out and services that can be trusted and used, it will be an opportunity for departing subscribers to return."
SKT announced that it held a Customer Trust Committee meeting on the 22nd to review successful or failed cases of trust recovery by domestic and foreign companies faced with various incidents and accidents, not just telecom hacking. However, it did not disclose which companies' cases were reviewed, considering the situation of those companies. The Customer Trust Committee also ordered SKT to concretize its long-term and short-term investment plans for information protection.
Meanwhile, the cumulative number of USIM replacements by SK Telecom is 4.59 million, with 4.44 million remaining reservations, and 229,000 people have participated in USIM reconfiguration so far.

solidkjy@fnnews.com Gu Ja-yun Reporter