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Photo courtesy of SK Telecom |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] SK Telecom has decided not to accept a consumer dispute mediation proposal related to compensation for victims of a hacking incident, citing concerns over broader implications and potential financial impact.
In a statement released on January 30, SK Telecom said it had “carefully reviewed the decision of the Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee but found it difficult to accept the proposal, taking into account the company’s proactive voluntary compensation efforts, preemptive security enhancement measures, and the significant ripple effects that acceptance of the mediation could entail.”
The Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee reached the mediation proposal on December 8 last year following four rounds of meetings between representatives of the applicants and SK Telecom. The proposal was formally delivered to both parties on January 16.
Under the mediation plan, SK Telecom was required to provide applicants with 50,000 T Plus Points by April 30 and to offer additional compensation—equivalent to KRW 50,000 minus certain deductions—through telecom service discounts by August 31. This would have been in addition to the company’s own compensation plan announced in July last year, which included a 50% discount on August mobile service fees.
Industry observers believe SK Telecom’s decision reflects concerns over potential losses if the mediation proposal were accepted. Acceptance could have opened the door for all subscribers to file similar mediation requests, potentially triggering further civil lawsuits and additional claims through other mediation bodies, significantly increasing the company’s financial burden.
Previously, SK Telecom had also declined to accept a mediation proposal from the Personal Information Protection Commission’s dispute mediation panel, which had recommended compensation equivalent to KRW 300,000 per affected user.
Reiterating its stance, SK Telecom said it would “continue to strengthen measures aimed at restoring customer trust and preventing further damage.”
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
