SK Telecom has launched an early termination penalty refund service for customers who switched carriers following a major hacking incident earlier this year. Starting July 15, affected users can officially apply for refunds through the company’s online platform, with payments expected to be processed within seven days of application.
The move follows the government-led investigation, which concluded last week and held SK Telecom partly responsible for the April security breach. In response, the company promptly announced it would waive contract cancellation penalties for users who left its service due to the incident. The refund program is SK Telecom’s first concrete step in addressing user concerns and restoring trust after the breach.
A dedicated inquiry page has been made available on the T World website and mobile app, allowing users to check their eligibility and estimate their refund amounts.
However, minors and corporate users must submit their applications in person at a customer service center or store. Once approved, the refund amount will be transferred to the user’s designated bank account within seven days of application.
The refund program applies to customers who had active SK Telecom contracts as of 11:59 p.m. on April 18, 2025—the day of the cyberattack—and either canceled or plan to cancel their service between April 19 and July 14. This window covers both users who have already terminated their service and those intending to do so before the deadline, provided they were charged an early termination fee.
The same applies to specialized Internet of Things (IoT) lines, lines terminated at the company’s discretion, and accounts reopened after disconnection. Additionally, installment payments for devices are not covered under the refund, as they fall under a separate purchase agreement.
SK Telecom has not yet announced the final date for refund applications, but the company states that it will share this information at a later stage. Some customers have expressed concerns over the relatively short eligibility window and the difficulty of making contract changes over a weekend. Critics argue that the company could have provided a longer grace period, pointing to past examples like the 2016 Galaxy Note 7 recall, during which cancellation penalties were waived for about three months.
The Ministry of Science and ICT recently confirmed that SK Telecom had failed in its responsibility to ensure secure service, justifying the company’s decision to drop early termination fees for affected users. President Lee Jae Myung also weighed in, stating that no customer should face financial penalties for a contract termination caused by a company’s security failure.
While the refund initiative covers mobile subscribers, customers using bundled packages that include internet and TV services have voiced dissatisfaction. Since the penalty waiver applies only to mobile lines, those who canceled combined plans still face early termination fees for their wired services. This has raised concerns among users who expected broader coverage, especially for households relying on full-service packages.
SK Telecom’s decision to waive penalties followed a board meeting held immediately after the government’s investigation findings were released. The company estimates that around 600,000 customers who switched to other telecom providers—including budget carriers—by the end of June, or plan to do so by July 14, will benefit from the exemption. This measure aims to ease the burden on users affected by the security breach and prevent further customer dissatisfaction.
