Depending on the conditions, we can even give you some cash with the Galaxy S25 and Flip 7. If you want to switch to an iPhone, move to LG Uplus and we'll cover some of the base model's fare. (Kangbyeon Techno Mart phone store A representative)
With KT's penalty waiver in place, competition among carriers is fierce, so now is a good time to change phones. The waiver period runs through the 13th, but if they hit certain sales targets before then, conditions may not be as good as now. It's better to switch quickly. (Kangbyeon Techno Mart phone store B representative)
On the 3rd, Kangbyeon Techno Mart in Gwangjin District, Seoul, known as a phone sales "holy land." As it was the first weekend after KT implemented a penalty waiver as a follow-up to the hacking incident, the place was crowded with customers seeking consultations even during dinner hours. Some stores had about 20 customers being helped at the same time, and lines were noticeable at others. A representative at a phone store in Kangbyeon Techno Mart said, "As carriers increased sales incentives to retailers because of the KT situation and phone prices fell, there are three to four times more customers than usual."
As of the morning of the 5th, at retail agencies in Seoul, the Galaxy S25 (256GB) handset comes with 330,000 won in fare if you move to SK Telecom or KT, and 400,000 won if you move to LG Uplus. Fare means going beyond a free phone to add cash. For the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (256GB), they guide that you get 190,000 won in fare if you move to LG Uplus, 90,000 won if you move to SK Telecom, and 50,000 won if you move to KT. With the Galaxy S26 set to launch in March, the Galaxy S25 series and Flip 7 handsets have effectively become free phones. For the iPhone 17, you can also get 30,000 won if you move your carrier to KT or LG Uplus.
According to the industry, from the 31st of last month, when KT's penalty waiver took effect, through the 3rd of this month, a total of 134,488 customers joined the ranks of number portability to other carriers over four days.
◇ An "unusual switching wave" reminiscent of a new product launch
On the 3rd, the first weekend after KT implemented a penalty waiver as a follow-up to the hacking incident, 44,149 number portability requests were filed in a single day. The number of porting cases totaled 35,595 on the 31st of last month and 54,744 on the 2nd of this month (including the holiday on the 1st).
KT said it will offer a penalty waiver through the 13th for customers who want to cancel their mobile service. This will be applied retroactively to customers who already terminated their contracts between Sept. 1 of last year and the penalty waiver announcement. SK Telecom is restoring the subscription tenure and membership tier to their original state for customers who canceled after last year's hacking incident and return. In addition, for customers who port their number or newly subscribe this month without purchasing a device, it is offering a full refund of the first month's bill and free benefits such as over-the-top (OTT) services and webtoons. SK Telecom is also said to have notified some distribution channels of a special offer policy to pay at least 300,000 won in sales incentives for each "USIM move" subscriber secured.
An industry official said, "On the first day when preordered flagship (premium) handsets are activated all at once, about 38,000 number portability cases occur, but the current porting volume exceeds even a new product launch, which is unusual," adding, "This situation will continue through the 13th." In periods without new product launches, an average of 15,000 number portability cases occur per day.
◇ As KT opened the marketing expense spigot, competition among the three carriers intensified
Until just before the weekend, SK Telecom and LG Uplus focused on a behind-the-scenes subsidy battle to poach subscribers, while KT increased device-upgrade support funds to keep existing customers. But as the number of KT customer defections rose from 10,142 on the first day of the penalty waiver to 21,492 the next day, KT took special measures on the 3rd.
A representative at a phone store in Gwangjin District, Seoul, said, "Typically, behind-the-scenes support funds are smaller for device upgrades than for number portability, and KT initially opened its wallet for device upgrades to retain existing customers, but starting on the 3rd it began spending marketing expense on number portability as well, intensifying competition among the three carriers."
A representative at a phone store in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, explained, "For SK Telecom and LG Uplus users, switching carriers via number portability is cheaper, and for KT, to prevent subscriber churn it opened its wallet from the 3rd, making both number portability and device upgrades cheap. If you're a KT customer, if you still have a penalty, move carriers; if not, keep your carrier and do a device upgrade."
Shin Cheol-won, Head of Team at the Consumers' Sovereignty Citizens' Meeting, said, "With no brakes on subsidy payments after the repeal of the Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act, competition will continue through the 13th." He added, "The marketing expense carriers are spreading can ultimately boomerang back on customers, so proper oversight is needed," and said, "Consumers should not look only at the device price but carefully check the plan, add-on services, and installment fees."