A sign informing customers of protective security measures following a massive data breach at an SK Telecom store in Seoul, April 29, 2025. Korea Times photo by Nam Dong-gyun
Major telecom companies — SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus — are sharply increasing their cybersecurity investments and strengthening security governance following last year's high-profile breaches, positioning security as a core business priority rather than a compliance obligation.
According to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), the three carriers’ combined information security investment rose to about 367.5 billion won ($243.9 million) in 2025, up about 22 percent from 301.2 billion won a year earlier, far outpacing the approximately 4 percent growth in overall IT investment.
On average, the three carriers devoted nearly 7 percent of their overall IT investment to information security last year, compared with 5.8 percent in 2024.
The widening gap reflects a shift in investment priorities as telecom companies respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats while seeking to restore consumer confidence after last year's security incidents.
