[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced on June 26 that it plans to conclude its investigation into the recent hacking incident involving SK Telecom by the end of this month.



During a parliamentary session of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, Minister Yoo Sang-bum stated, “We have not yet received the final report from the joint public-private investigation team, but we are aiming to announce the results by June 30.”



In response, Rep. Lee Hoon-ki of the Democratic Party (Incheon Namdong B) urged the ministry to clearly address whether customers will be exempted from contract termination fees due to the incident. “Issues like number portability penalties are of high public concern, and explanations so far have been vague,” he said.



Minister Yoo acknowledged that the waiver of penalties remains a complex issue. “This is one of the most difficult aspects,” he noted. “We will make a decision after receiving the final report and consulting with legal counsel.”



Responding to questions from Rep. Han Min-soo (Democratic Party, Seoul Gangbuk B), Vice Minister Kang Do-hyun stated that forensic analysis of SK Telecom’s servers is expected to be completed by June 27. “The joint investigation team will likely finalize the fact-finding process this weekend,” he said. “However, further review is needed on comparative liability and compensation matters, including whether to waive contract penalties.”



Chairwoman Choi Min-hee of the committee clarified that the June 30 announcement is expected to focus on technical findings related to the hacking and malware intrusion. “The penalty issue involves separate legal considerations and should not be conflated with the technical report,” she said. “There is a strong possibility the committee will call a special session on this issue in July. Please prepare accordingly, clearly distinguishing between technical damage assessments and legal responsibilities to subscribers.”

 

 

 

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