On the 28th, when SK Telecom launched its free SIM (USIM) replacement service, it was confirmed that approximately 34,000 subscribers switched to other carriers.
According to the industry on the 29th, about 21,000 and 14,000 people moved from SK Telecom to KT and LG Uplus, respectively, the day before. Approximately 60% of the departing subscribers switched to KT, while the remainder moved to LG Uplus. When including users who switched to budget mobile services, the scale of departures is expected to grow larger.
On the 18th, SK Telecom confirmed that some SIM information was leaked due to hacking. As concerns among users grew, subscribers began switching to other carriers starting on the 26th. On the 26th, 1,665 people left, and the scale of departures has been gradually increasing since then.
To prevent subscriber departures, SK Telecom's agents and sales outlets reportedly provided large-scale subsidies to customers moving from other carriers to their services. It is possible that 8,729 new subscribers were influenced by this subsidy policy.
SK Telecom holds the top position as the leading carrier with 23 million subscribers, while KT and LG Uplus have approximately 10 million in the mid-range and just over 10 million, respectively. However, as departures continue, attention is being drawn to potential changes in the rankings of the three telecom companies in the country.