SK Telecom has started the process of ending cyber-intrusion incidents by exempting cancellation fees for customers with contracts and investing 700 billion won over five years to innovate information protection.

On the 4th, SKT announced the 'Responsibility and Promise' program to take responsibility for cyberattacks and prevent recurrence.

This program consists of four core elements: △Customer Reassurance Package to prevent customer damages after a security breach, △Information Protection Innovation Plan with an investment plan of 700 billion won over the next five years, △Customer Appreciation Package worth 500 billion won, and △Waiver of Penalty Fees for Customers with Contracts.

Regarding the exemption of penalty fees for contract customers, which has garnered the most attention from consumers due to the government's judgment on the penalty exemption regulations, as of 24:00 on April 18, the terminal support fund and discount refund penalty will be exempted for contract customers who have cancelled their contracts after an accident or are scheduled to cancel by July 14.

Terminal installment payments are excluded, and prepayment penalties are supported through a refund application.

In relation to strengthening the customer assurance package, the existing SIM protection service, abnormal authentication blocking system (FDS), and SIM exchangeIn addition, the global mobile security solution ‘Zimperium’ is provided free of charge to all customers for one year.

We will introduce a ‘cyber breach compensation guarantee system’ in cooperation with external organizations and expand the corporate insurance limit from 1 billion won to 100 billion won to establish a rapid compensation system.

Through the Customer Assurance Package, we prevent damage from copying or leaking due to security breaches in advance and support the entire process when responding to an incident.

SKT also announced an information security innovation plan to invest 700 billion won over five years.

SKT is making large-scale investments in the following three axes to strengthen its information security competitiveness.

First, the investment will be 700 billion won over five years to double the existing number of information security professionals. A 10 billion won fund will also be provided to strengthen security technology and systems and to activate the domestic information security ecosystem.

Next, we will reform governance, elevate the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) organization to be directly under the CEO, recruit security experts to the board of directors, and establish a Red Team.

Lastly, in relation to the introduction of the technology system, we will apply Zero Trust-based authentication and authority management, network segmentation, AI integrated control, and encryption technology, and utilize the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) to aim for the best in the country within three years and the best in the world within five years.

Along with this, SKT announced a 'Customer Appreciation Package' for customers who have trusted and waited for SKT after consulting with the Customer Trust Committee and deliberation by the Board of Directors.

August telecommunications charges are discounted by 50%. It will be automatically reflected in August usage charges without a separate application, and the same benefit is also provided to budget phone customers.

Plus, you get an extra 50GB of data per month. From August to the end of the year, all customers can choose from some youth rate plans.

T Membership Relay Discount is available. You can get a discount of more than 50% every month at major affiliated companies such as Tous Les Jours, Domino's Pizza, and Paris Baguette.

A benefit of restoration is also provided to customers who have cancelled their subscription. If you re-enroll within 6 months after cancellation due to an accident, your previous subscription period and grade will be restored to their original state.

SK Telecom CEO Yoo Young-sang said, “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our customers who have trusted and waited for us. Through this program, we will fulfill our responsibilities and establish a world-class information protection system.”

SKT plans to sequentially inform all customers of the details of the program through text messages and a dedicated webpage.