150,000 Users Flee KT in 9 Days Following Data Breach Penalty Waiver

150,000 customers have vanished in just nine days. South Korea's second-largest carrier, KT Corp., is witnessing a massive exodus as subscribers take advantage of a temporary penalty waiver implemented after a major data breach.

KT Data Breach Penalty Waiver: The Numbers Behind the Exit

According to industry sources, a total of 154,851 users switched to rival carriers between December 31 and Thursday, averaging more than 17,000 departures per day. On Thursday alone, 24,252 subscribers terminated their contracts, with over 15,700 of them moving to the market leader, SK Telecom.

The mass migration was triggered by KT's compensation program following a security incident involving unauthorized mobile payments. To restore trust, the company began waiving early termination fees, effectively removing the financial barrier for dissatisfied customers to leave. This waiver program is set to expire on January 13.

Telecom Market Volatility and Security Risks

This isn't the first time the Korean telecom market has seen such a shift. SK Telecom experienced a nearly identical situation last July, losing approximately 160,000 users after its own data leak led to a penalty waiver. These events highlight how fragile market loyalty can be when security is compromised and lock-in contracts are lifted.