SK telecom to accept penalty refund claims from July 15th

SK telecom CI

SK telecom began reimbursing early termination penalties for customers who switched carriers in the wake of its recent hacking incident. The company opened an online service on Sunday that allows affected users to check their refund eligibility and amounts via its T World website and mobile app.

The refund applies to customers who had active SK telecom accounts as of 11:59 p.m. on April 18th, 2025, and either terminated or plan to terminate their contracts between April 19th and July 14th, 2025. Both those who have already canceled and those planning to do so before the deadline are eligible, provided they were subject to a termination fee.

However, customers who signed new contracts renewed their agreements, or changed devices after April 19th are excluded. Reconnected accounts following termination, machine-to-machine or IoT lines, and cases of termination by company discretion are also not eligible. Additionally, device installment payments are not refundable under this plan.

Refund applications will open at midnight on July 15th via the T World website, app, SK telecom customer service centers, and offline T World stores. For minors and corporate clients, only in-store or customer service submissions will be accepted. Refunds will be deposited into the applicant’s designated bank account within seven days of the application. The closing date for applications has yet to be announced.

Some users have raised concerns about the limited eligibility window, citing the short time frame and inconvenience of initiating service changes on weekends. Others have compared the measure unfavorably to the 2016 Galaxy Note 7 recall, during which telecom companies waived cancellation fees for about three months despite the fault lying with the device manufacturer.

Additional complaints have surfaced from customers using bundled plans, as the refund applies only to mobile lines and thus excludes the internet or TV services that are often part of package deals.