Acting president instructs gov't to check SK Telecom's response measures to data leak
![Acting President Han Duck-soo waits to deliver the government's policy speech on the first supplementary budget for 2025 at the National Assembly in western Seoul on April 24. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12040127.webp?imageId=12040127&width=960&height=640&format=jpg)
Acting President Han Duck-soo on Sunday instructed the government to check the adequacy of SK Telecom's response measures to a potentially major leak of USIM data.
On April 18, SK Telecom detected signs of a massive leak of customers' USIM data due to a cyberattack, prompting the company last week to announce it would replace the USIMs of all of its 23 million users for free.
Han instructed the Ministry of Science and ICT to “closely” inspect the company's response measures, which include recommending that users sign up for a USIM protection service, according to his office.
He also called on the government to “thoroughly” analyze the cause of the incident while instructing the National Intelligence Service and other relevant agencies to inspect the country's data protection system against cyberattacks, it said.
SK Telecom has announced it will offer free USIM replacements to its 23 million subscribers upon request, a move expected to cost the company 177.1 billion won ($122.9 million).
Science Minister Yoo Sang-im said Thursday a joint civilian and government probe into the data breach is currently underway and is expected to take one to two months.
Yonhap
