Massive Data Breach Fine Hits South Korea's KT Corp

South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission has fined telecom company KT Corp 54 billion won due to a data leak involving over 16,600 customers. The breach, occurring in 2024 and 2025, resulted in illegal payments worth 240 million won. Malware was found during the investigation.

In a significant move, South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission has slapped a hefty fine on telecom giant KT Corp, amounting to 54 billion won. This penalty comes on the heels of a data breach that compromised the personal information of more than 16,600 mobile service customers.

The leaked data, which included sensitive payment information, was exploited to conduct illegal transactions worth 240 million won. These breaches occurred over the course of 2024 and 2025, marking a serious oversight in the company's data security measures.

The commission's investigation revealed the presence of multiple malware infections within KT's servers. It also noted the company's attempts to cover up the breach and its failure to promptly alert authorities as mandated by law. KT has yet to comment on these findings.