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yesterday

KT Payment Fraud Reaches 278 Cases as Probes Zero In on Illegal Femtocell

Officials have designated the incident a major security breach.

Kim Young-shub, CEO of KT Corp., bows to offer a public apology for a recent mobile payment breach at a press conference in Seoul on Sept. 11, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Officials from KT Corp., including CEO Kim Young-shub (2nd from L), speak at a press conference in Seoul on Sept. 11, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
This photo taken Sept. 10, 2025, shows a retail store of South Korea's No. 2 mobile carrier KT Corp. in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Ryu Je-myung (C), second vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, speaks at a press conference at the government complex in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The Personal Information Protection Commission opened investigations into KT and LG Uplus over possible data leaks, alongside a joint public‑private task force led by the science ministry.
  • Investigators identified an unregistered micro base station tied to KT’s network, and all carriers are now blocking new femtocell connections after SK Telecom and LG Uplus reported finding no such devices.
  • Authorities confirmed 278 unauthorized mobile payment cases totaling about 170 million won, with reports concentrated in southwestern Seoul and nearby cities including Gwangmyeong, Bucheon, Incheon and Gwacheon.
  • Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon visited KT to press for full cooperation as the company said it has been blocking unusual payment requests since Friday.
  • Experts caution that a rogue base station may not fully explain the authentication bypass, and investigators are examining additional technical vectors and any potential personal data exposure.