SEOUL, Dec 21, 2025 – In a significant move to protect consumer rights, South Korea’s consumer protection agency announced on Sunday that it will formally order SK Telecom (017670.KS), the country’s largest mobile carrier, to compensate 58 users who filed a class-action lawsuit following a recent hacking incident.

The agency revealed that during a meeting on Thursday, it decided SK Telecom must provide each affected user with 100,000 won (approximately $67) in the form of combined cash points and mobile phone bill discounts. This decision reflects the agency’s ongoing efforts to hold companies accountable for cybersecurity failures and protect sensitive personal data.

This ruling comes months after SK Telecom faced a massive data breach in August, which compromised the personal information of more than 20 million users. At that time, the South Korean government imposed a fine of 134 billion won on the telecom giant for failing to prevent the breach, marking one of the largest penalties for cybersecurity negligence in the country’s history.

The consumer agency also stated that it plans to request SK Telecom to take further measures to compensate all victims affected by the breach. The total compensation is expected to reach nearly 2.3 trillion won, highlighting the scale of the incident and the financial implications for the company.

Officials confirmed that the agency will send a formal notification of the compensation order to SK Telecom, which will have 15 days to respond. This move underscores the South Korean government’s commitment to enforcing strict data protection standards and ensuring that consumers are not left unprotected in the wake of cyberattacks.

Experts say that the case serves as a warning to major corporations about the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the potential consequences of failing to safeguard customer data. As cyber threats continue to rise globally, regulators in South Korea and beyond are expected to increase scrutiny on companies handling sensitive consumer information.