Seoul: A recent mobile payment breach at KT Corp. has impacted a broader region than initially disclosed, extending beyond the previously identified areas of southwestern Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi Province, according to a report submitted by the company to a lawmaker.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the newly affected areas include southern parts of Seoul and Goyang, located northwest of the capital. This information was cited by Rep. Hwang Jung-a of the ruling Democratic Party from the report filed by KT. On Thursday, South Korea’s second-largest mobile carrier updated the number of victims to 362, up from the initial count of 278.

Rep. Hwang expressed concerns over KT’s approach to releasing information, stating, “It would have been helpful for the investigation if KT had released detailed information on the location and time of the breaches quickly. I cannot understand why KT is releasing the information little by little.”

Experts have noted that the scope of the damage continues to grow, as KT had initially limited its investigation to breaches of the automated response system (ARS). KT tracks the damage based on cases where hackers intercepted ARS calls intended to authorize mobile payments.

A victim told Yonhap News Agency that hackers might have also breached the PASS account, a mobile verification app operated by the nation’s three mobile carriers. In response, Rep. Hwang has urged KT to conduct a comprehensive investigation and to inform users directly about their mobile payment status.

Additionally, the government announced on Friday its intention to reform policies to impose stricter penalties on companies that delay notifying authorities about data breaches. This move also aims to empower the government to initiate investigations without waiting for company disclosures.