Seoul: The government-led investigation into a major data breach at SK Telecom Co. is expected to release its findings by the end of June, Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-im announced Friday. The breach, which occurred on April 18, involved a large-scale leak of universal subscriber identity module (USIM) data, impacting SK Telecom's entire user base of 25 million. In response, a joint government-civilian panel was formed to conduct a comprehensive investigation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the panel is examining how the hackers infiltrated the system, the specifics of what transpired, and SK Telecom's response to the incident. Minister Yoo noted during a media briefing in Seoul that penalties for SK Telecom will be determined based on the panel's findings.

The government is also considering legal and administrative measures that could compel SK Telecom to waive early termination fees for customers wishing to switch to other carriers following the breach. SK Telecom reported that over 250,000 subscribers have switched to local rivals KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp. since the incident and that this number could soon rise to 2.5 million.

"I have received a legal report on the matter, but it remains unclear," said Minister Yoo. "We need to wait for the panel's conclusions."

Public pressure is mounting on SK Telecom to eliminate early termination charges, which typically apply to users ending contracts early, particularly those who benefited from device subsidies or promotional discounts.

SK Telecom previously stated that the company might face losses of up to 7 trillion won (US$5 billion) over the next three years if required to waive such fees amid an anticipated decline in revenue.

Since the data leak, the company has offered to replace the USIM of all its 25 million subscribers. To concentrate resources on customer protection and USIM replacements, SK Telecom has temporarily suspended new subscriber sign-ups at its 2,600 retail stores nationwide starting Monday.