Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, held a press conference at 10 a.m. on the 7th at the SK Telecom building in Jung-gu, Seoul, to issue a public apology regarding the recent hacking incident of customer universal subscriber identity module (USIM) information. It has been 19 days since the incident occurred.
When asked about his personal thoughts on the incident, Chey said, “I thought data was simply in the realm of IT (information technology), but it seems we need to view it as a matter of defense.” He added, “I will approach this with the belief that security is life.”
In response to a question about whether penalties would be waived for subscribers wishing to switch carriers, Chey noted, “The board is currently reviewing this.” He added, “It doesn’t seem that my opinion matters much in this situation, but I hope we can resolve the issue without causing inconvenience.”
However, Chey said, “We need to also consider issues of fairness among users. The SK Telecom board is currently discussing this.”
In his apology, Chey stated, “I apologize on behalf of SK Group for the inconvenience caused by the recent SK Telecom hacking incident.” He bowed his head.
Chey expressed regret, saying, “I feel sorry that our responses and communication after the incident were insufficient.” He continued, “We did not carefully consider this from the customers' perspective, and both I and the management deeply reflect on this.” He concluded, “I believe the reprimands from not only customers but also the Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee and expert organizations are justified.”
Chey emphasized, “First, I will actively cooperate with the government investigation to determine the cause of the incident.” He added, “I will ensure that customers do not suffer any further losses.”
He also expressed his sincere gratitude to the 24 million customers who trusted him and subscribed to the USIM protection service, saying, “We will ensure that customers who wish to replace their USIM can receive it more quickly.”
Chey announced that SK Group will comprehensively review its security system across the organization and expand its security systems. He also stated that an Information Protection Innovation Committee involving external experts would be established, likely under the SK SUPEX Council.
Chey also conveyed his gratitude to the front-line T-World and customer service personnel, as well as officials from the airport and SK Telecom.
Chey noted, “The trust of our customers was the reason for SK Group's existence. It will continue to be the reason for our existence in the future.” He said, “SK Group is asking fundamental questions to restore customer trust following this incident.” He reiterated, “I will reflect on what is most essential for corporations and strive once again to regain the trust of our customers.”
Meanwhile, Chey announced he would not attend the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee hearing scheduled for the 8th due to an event related to U.S. trade organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, in preparation for the APEC Ministerial Meeting.