The government has said it expects to release the findings by the end of June in an ongoing investigation into a major data breach at SK Telecom in April that affected the company’s 25 million users.
Science and ICT Minister Yoo Sang-im said Friday, during a monthly briefing at the Seoul government complex, that the findings of a government-led investigation into the cause of the hacking attack on SK Telecom and the company’s handling of the incident will likely be revealed next month.
Yoo said, based on these findings, the ministry will determine what if any penalties SK Telecom should face. The government has also started a legal review on the justification and level of penalties SK Telecom will face if it is found to have violated terms and conditions, which could result in a maximum three-month suspension.
Yoo said despite receiving a legal report on the matter, there are things that remain unclear and the results of the investigation will be needed to determine SK Telecom’s fate.
He also signaled that amid mounting calls for the company to better compensate its users, SK Telecom may waive early termination fees for customers seeking to switch to other carriers in the wake of the data breach.
With regard to SK Telecom’s temporary suspension of new subscriber sign-ups, which began nationwide on Monday, the minister said the company could resume normal business operations in a month or two, based on the current status of SIM supply and demand.