KT has confirmed that it suffered another hack, only weeks after being caught up in a scandal over unauthorized micro-payments. The company admitted on Friday that one of its servers was compromised. It reported the breach to the Korea Internet & Security Agency late on Thursday night.
Telecom Firm Admits to Another Cyber Breach
According to KT, four confirmed hacking attempts were detected, along with two more suspicious cases. The discovery came during a four-month audit carried out by an outside cybersecurity firm. This investigation was launched after repeated hacking incidents shook the telecom industry in recent months.
KT said it is fully cooperating with authorities. The company stated that it will work to identify which servers were affected, how the breach took place, and how much information was leaked.
Government Pledges Strong Response
Following the announcement, government agencies held a joint briefing to address growing concerns. Officials said the breach is being taken very seriously and promised to roll out new measures to prevent such incidents from spreading further.
A special task force made up of both public and private experts is now analyzing the case. The group is studying how hackers managed to build a fake base station that connected into KT’s internal systems. From there, the attackers appear to have extracted personal data.
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Authorities confirmed that 362 people have already suffered direct damages. Losses amount to around 240 million won, which is equal to about $172,000. At the same time, as many as 20,030 users are believed to have been exposed to risks. Sensitive details such as phone numbers and device identity numbers may have been leaked during the attack.
Government representatives stressed that they are working with multiple agencies under the National Security Office. They said the focus is on minimizing harm and rebuilding protections around the country’s telecom infrastructure.
Officials also warned companies that delaying or hiding reports of cyberattacks would not be tolerated. New rules are being prepared to allow investigations to begin even if companies fail to report breaches quickly. Penalties, including higher fines, could be applied against firms that do not follow the rules.
Wider Investigations Underway
The KT hack is not an isolated case. In recent weeks, other companies in the telecom and financial services sector have also been targeted. During the same press briefing, authorities revealed that another company’s earlier data breach turned out to be much larger than initially admitted.
Investigators said consumer protection measures must be strictly enforced. They made clear that any company found to have neglected safety standards will face strong disciplinary action.
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The recent wave of attacks has highlighted major flaws in how customer information is stored and protected. Telecom users have been warned that details such as International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers may have been exposed. These codes are unique to every device and user, and leaks of this information can put people at risk of fraud or identity theft.
Officials repeated that the goal is to completely review the existing cybersecurity framework. They want to build stronger defenses so that such events do not continue to harm consumers.
KT’s confirmation of yet another hack has put the spotlight back on the growing problem of cyberattacks in the country. With financial losses mounting and personal data at risk, pressure is building on both companies and regulators to secure networks more effectively.
