"If you switch to SK Telecom now, we will give you a Galaxy S25 256 gigabytes (GB) for free and also add 300,000 won in cash."
On the 27th, in the 9th floor of Techno Mart in Seoul's Sindorim, customers were seen inquiring about new subscriptions to SK Telecom, with phrases such as 'S25 big discount' and 'S25 cost 0 won' posted around.
At over 20 mobile phone retailers, they introduced that if you change to SK Telecom, you can receive a 'Galaxy S25 256GB' for free and also get around 250,000 to 350,000 won in cash. There is a condition to maintain the '5GX Premium' plan, which costs 109,000 won per month, for 6 months, but the store employees enticed customers by saying it was a 'remarkable offer.'
If you maintain additional services for 1 to 4 months, the purchase conditions improved. When moving the number to SK Telecom, you could purchase the Galaxy S25 from the basic model to the Plus 512GB model as a 'chabi phone' (a slang term meaning to receive a smartphone for free under certain conditions and also get cash).
The retail price of the Galaxy S25 256GB is 1,155,000 won, and SK Telecom's announced support fund is 500,000 won. Even considering additional support funds from distribution points, which can be legally received (75,000 won), about 830,000 to 930,000 won is coming out as illegal subsidies (rebates). With the abolition of the Device Distribution Act (the law regarding the improvement of distribution structures for mobile communication terminal devices) coming in July, additional support funds from distribution points that exceed 15% of the announced support funds are currently illegal.
The availability of purchasing smartphones under such remarkable conditions is due to SK Telecom releasing large amounts of sales incentives. SK Telecom reported on the 22nd that evidence of hacking attacks resulting in some leakage of USIM (subscriber identification module) information has been found. According to the telecom industry, as of the 26th, SK Telecom saw a net loss of 1,665 members due to number portability. The industry interprets this as customers of SK Telecom feeling insecure about security and switching to competitors. In fact, on the same day, the number of number portability subscribers increased for KT (1,280 people) and LG Uplus (385 people).
The head of an M agency, Mr. Kim (47), said, "As of 6 p.m. on the 26th, SK Telecom significantly increased the number portability support funds," adding, "It seems that they suddenly raised the rebates because they couldn't handle the massive departures of subscribers due to the USIM hacking." He further noted that "the increase in number portability support funds from SK Telecom will be maintained until the 28th." Another employee at a mobile phone retail store said, "All the customers who came here now are here to receive SK Telecom's number portability support funds," adding, "Purchasing under these conditions would result in a loss."
SK Telecom's sales incentives were also applied to Apple iPhones. Mr. Lee (33), who met at Techno Mart in Sindorim, purchased the iPhone 16 Pro 256GB model for 210,000 won. He received about 940,000 won in rebates. Mr. Lee said, "I was going to maintain LG Uplus (carrier) and buy a new smartphone, but the store employee suggested switching to SK Telecom, and after hearing the conditions, I thought it was okay."
In online communities, it is easy to find posts certifying that smartphones were purchased cheaply at 'seongji' through number portability to SK Telecom. An employee of an S agency, Mr. Choi (36), said, "It's the first time the top carrier, SK Telecom, has introduced such a remarkable policy," adding, "The current increase in SK Telecom's sales incentives is unprecedented, even during the usual 'inventory clearance' that occurs just before new products are launched."
A representative from SK Telecom said, "The provision of rebates at some mobile phone retail stores is unrelated to the head office."