From early activation to penalty waivers: Galaxy S26 pre-order marketing heats up

With the Galaxy S26 series Unpacked event confirmed for the 26th (Korea time), the three major mobile carriers in South Korea (SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus) have jumped into a fierce competition over pre-order benefits. They are rolling out a variety of offers, from "activate now, change device later" programs and trade-in bonuses for used phones to rate discounts and early-termination penalty waivers, in a bid to attract new subscribers. As the number portability market typically expands right after a new flagship launch, their strategy is to capture early demand.
According to the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA) and industry sources on the 18th, the number of subscribers who switched carriers during the pre-order period for the Samsung Galaxy S25 in February last year reached 575,642, the highest level in seven years since 2017. With domestic pre-orders for the Galaxy S25 series surpassing 1.3 million units and setting a record for the Galaxy S series, expectations are high that pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 will be just as heated.

The three mobile carriers began their promotional campaigns immediately after the Galaxy S26 series Unpacked schedule was announced on the 11th. SKT is the only one among the three to put forward an "activate first, change device later" strategy. Customers who open a line with a physical SIM or eSIM on an SKT plan within this month, while postponing the actual switch to a Galaxy S26 device, will receive 50,000 won in Naver Pay points. In addition, those who activate early on select Direct 5G plans—such as the 48, 55, 62, and 76 tiers—will receive 33,000 won in Naver Pay points every month for six months. They can also use Tving and WEBTOON for free for up to 12 months. Even without early activation, customers who pre-order through SKT and return their old device will receive up to an additional 150,000 won on top of the used-device value, limited to the first 3,000 people. For the first 500 customers, SKT will also offer interest-free installment plans with Samsung Card, Hyundai Card, and Hana Card, plus up to 100,000 won in cashback.

KT will provide up to an additional 100,000 won on top of the device value when customers trade in their used phones. It is also offering a 7% monthly discount on service fees, interest-free installments, and a deal under which customers who choose a plan priced at 69,000 won or more can get a Galaxy Watch for as little as 0 won. Additional benefits will be announced on the 19th, and detailed terms will be finalized in stages.

LG Uplus will waive early-termination penalties for its own customers who have been under contract for at least 18 months but still have remaining contract periods. Customers who trade in their current devices will receive an extra 200,000 won on top of the used-device value. They can also benefit from up to 24 months of interest-free installments and 100,000 won in cashback when paying with affiliated credit cards. Specific details of these benefits may be subject to change depending on circumstances.
kaya@fnnews.com Reporter Choi Hye-rim
kaya@fnnews.com Reporter Choi Hye-rim Reporter