The 50,000-User Exodus: KT Data Breach and Penalty Waiver Impact 2026
Over 50,000 customers have left KT Corp. in 4 days following a major data breach and the waiver of termination penalties. SK Telecom absorbed 70% of these users.
In just four days, more than 50,000 customers have ditched KT Corp. A mass exodus is underway after the carrier began waiving early termination penalties following a massive data breach, turning a security failure into a market share crisis.
Analyzing the KT Data Breach Penalty Waiver Churn
Industry sources reported on Friday that 52,661 users switched from KT to rival carriers between Wednesday and Saturday. Saturday alone saw a peak of 21,027 departures. This surge follows KT's decision to remove financial barriers for customers wanting to leave in the wake of its hacking scandal.
Investors should monitor the potential drop in KT's Q1 2026 earnings. The combination of losing high-value subscribers and the loss of penalty revenue presents a dual threat to the company's bottom line.
SK Telecom Absorbs the Surge
Market leader SK Telecom Co. is the primary beneficiary of the chaos. Over 70% of those who left KT migrated to SK Telecom. On Saturday, 13,616 of the defectors chose the No. 1 carrier. SK Telecom has been lightning-fast in its marketing efforts, even successfully reclaiming former users who had previously left after its own security issues last year.
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