Mobile carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile could face fines up to $100 million for personal data leaks.

SK Telecom reported a suspected data breach to the PIPC on April 22, after detecting unusual data transfers on April 18. An investigation verified that the data of over 23 million customers was compromised. The stolen information included phone numbers, international mobile subscriber identity codes, and other universal subscriber identity module (USIM) details.

In July, the government held SK Telecom responsible for insufficient customer information safeguards. Regulators mandated that the company waive early termination fees for subscribers choosing to switch providers.

The PIPC fined SK Telecom 28.2 billion won (approximately $20.4 million USD) due to vulnerabilities in its data protection systems. These included weak access controls, inadequate oversight of access rights, a failure to encrypt USIM authentication keys, and delayed notification to users.

SK Telecom recently pledged 700 billion won for security and 500 billion won for customer protection, along with waiving termination fees. Following the fine, SK Telecom acknowledged the decision but expressed disappointment that its efforts were not fully recognized. The company will review the PIPC's decision and has 90 days to contest it.

Critics argue the fine is inconsistent with prior cases. Google was fined 69.2 billion won in 2022 for using customer data for targeted advertising without consent. Kakao was fined 15.1 billion won for a data leak involving its open chatroom service, and LG Uplus paid 6.8 billion won after a similar breach.

In August 2025, PIPC Chairperson Ko Hak-soo stated that this incident should remind companies to prioritize personal information protection budgets and recognize the importance of CPOs and privacy teams.

In other news, "Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips," a coffee table book about the 21st century's technological revolution, will be released this fall.