SKT is 73 days old… When is KT

As suspicions spread over the cover-up of KT's hacking, pressure is mounting to demand exemption of penalty for all customers. Industry sources believe that the government will eventually come forward and ask KT to waive penalty as it did with SK Telecom. However, as the government weighs on KT's investigation, the prospect that it will take more time for the final decision to be made is gaining momentum.

According to related industries on Wednesday, the Ministry of Science and ICT's joint public-private investigation team on KT's infringement incident marks the 73rd day since its launch on Sept. 8. During the investigation, the team confirmed that KT did not report to the government even though it found 43 servers infected with the malicious code "BPF Door" and Web Shell from March to July 2024.

As KT's alleged cover-up has been raised again, there is a growing need for exemption from penalty for all customers. However, KT, which has to decide on exemption from penalty, is determined to make a final decision after the public-private joint investigation team's investigation and the police's investigation results are released.

In the end, the industry argues that the government should come forward and pressure KT to exempt the penalty, as in the case of SK Telecom in April.

The Ministry of Science and ICT's joint public-private investigation team on SK Telecom's infringement accident recommended SK Telecom to exempt all customers from penalties in its final announcement on July 4. The government has warned that if it does not accept the recommendation, it will consider a corrective order and suspension of business for up to three months.

SK Telecom immediately accepted the government's recommendation on the day and waived penalties for customers who are scheduled to be terminated by July 14. The decision was made 73 days after the launch of a joint public-private investigation team into SK Telecom's infringement case on April 23. The decision was made earlier than KT, which had a remaining schedule for investigation.

Currently, the government is focusing on investigating KT. Choi Woo-hyeok, the head of the public-private joint investigation team, said in the first interim briefing on KT's infringement on Nov. 6, "We will make an announcement at an appropriate time after reviewing the law."

While the government maintains its principled position, demands from the Ministry of Science and ICT to exempt penalties are increasing.

Choi Min-hee, chairman of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, said on November 17, "As KT's management is found to be not actively cooperating with the investigation and concealing the infringement, the Ministry of Science and ICT should correct it with strong administrative measures such as penalty exemption."

The civic group Seoul YMCA's civic broadcasting office also pointed out, "The Ministry of Science and ICT should not tell us to wait for the announcement of the final results of the investigation, but should guarantee the freedom of the people who feel anxious to choose communication services through active investigation and administrative guidance."

An industry official predicted, "As suspicions of concealment and reduction have emerged, the demand for exemption from penalties has increased at the parliamentary audit. So, it is highly likely that the exemption from the penalty will be carried out."

fun3503@chosunbiz.com