Starting from the 28th, SK Telecom (SKT) will begin free USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) replacements for all customers, anticipating a '代理店オープンラン' (agency open run). Since the weekend, subscribers have flocked to SKT stores to secure USIMs, and SKT has only secured about 500,000 USIMs, suggesting an unavoidable disaster due to supply and demand imbalance.
SKT will start the free USIM replacement at all T World stores and airport roaming centers nationwide from 10 a.m. on the 28th. Customers wanting the replacement among subscribers as of midnight on the 19th are eligible, and those who cannot replace it on the first day will be able to make reservations for sequential processing. Customers who have replaced their USIMs at their own expense between the 19th and 27th will receive refunds. Subscribers using affordable phone plans on the SKT network will also receive the same support.
An industry insider noted, 'Although the free replacement starts on the 28th, it is expected that the number of USIMs will be insufficient, causing stores to be crowded over the weekend,' and added, 'Initially replacing the USIM will retroactively be free, which is why long lines formed over the weekend.'
Initially, SKT stated that it could prevent damage through the USIM protection service and the fraud detection system (FDS) for abnormal authentication attempts, but shifted to free replacements in response to a surge in complaints and increasing social unrest. Ryu Young-sang, President of SKT, emphasized, 'We will prepare multiple layers of safety measures and concentrate all necessary capabilities.'
Due to the USIM shortage, signs saying 'USIM exhausted' appeared in front of major stores over the weekend. A customer in their 30s, Mr. Song, complained, 'I visited several places, but there were no stores with USIMs available.' Methods for faster replacements, such as using eSIMs or making reservations via Naver, are being shared in online communities.
Meanwhile, SKT reported that, aside from some USIM information, there have been no indications of sensitive personal information leakage such as names and resident registration numbers.