25.05.12.Today News : SKT to Charge ₩7,700 SIM Fee for Device Change? / Baek Jong-won Complaint Craze Shakes The Born Korea

1. SKT to Charge ₩7,700 SIM Fee for Device Change?

SK Telecom has sent a message stating it plans to charge ₩7,700 in SIM card fees next month to users who changed their devices without replacing their SIM cards after a recent hacking incident.

It was confirmed on the 12th that SK Telecom sent notification messages to subscribers who had changed devices after the data breach, indicating that the company would retroactively charge the SIM card fee of ₩7,700.

SKT is controversial for sending a message that it is charging for cellular service.

Even after confirming the data breach last month, SK Telecom announced that all 24 million customers were eligible for free SIM replacements but refrained from commenting on the costs, drawing criticism.

After facing backlash, the company then said it would cover the cost of SIM replacements, stating that the production cost per SIM was about ₩4,400.

However, as many users rushed to dealerships to replace their SIMs, the process became nearly impossible. The government responded by issuing administrative guidance on the 5th, temporarily suspending SK Telecom from accepting new subscribers or number portability customers due to their focus on gaining new users instead of facilitating SIM changes.

Some customers, unable to halt use of their phones — which are essential for both daily life and work — resorted to changing devices to receive new SIMs.

The controversy arose when SK Telecom still sent messages announcing SIM fee charges to those users, despite knowing the situation.

An SK Telecom official explained, “Although SIM fees are not being charged after the hacking incident, the messaging system had not been updated to reflect this and mistakenly sent out outdated fee notifications.” The company clarified that no actual SIM fee will be charged to those who changed devices after the breach.

The informant commented, “It was absurd to receive a message about a SIM charge after going through device change due to the unavailability of SIM replacements. It’s a relief that the message was an error, but during such a sensitive time, sending such misleading notifications and forcing customers to inquire repeatedly is incomprehensible.”

One-line summary : SK Telecom mistakenly sent SIM card fee notices to recent device changers, causing confusion, but confirmed the charges won't be applied.

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2. Baek Jong-won Complaint Craze Shakes The Born Korea

A wave of scrutiny aimed at Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, has resulted in a flood of complaints and reports based on his past behavior, shaking the company.

On DC Inside’s “Baek Jong-won’s Alley Restaurant Gallery,” users have been posting since March about filing official complaints against Baek and his company via the government’s petition platform, “Gukmin Sinmungo.” The complaints often cite potential legal violations found in Baek’s past broadcast appearances.

Netizens are playing a game of digging for Baek Jong-won.

One allegation claims The Born Korea violated the Food Sanitation Act by spraying apple juice from a pesticide sprayer at a local festival. In response, users dug up a 2023 YouTube clip in which Baek suggests spraying sauce on meat using a pesticide sprayer. This footage was then used as part of an official complaint.

Other accusations include violations of farmland laws related to the production of doenjang and soy sauce, false labeling of ingredient origins, and false advertising for products like "Deopjuk" and "Chewy Sweet Potato Bread." These allegations also originated on the forum before authorities began fact-checking.

A user with the nickname “PesticideSprayerBaekChef” claimed to have filed 72 complaints between March 28 and April 6. He alleged that raw meat was left at room temperature during transport and that industrial metal tools were used for cooking.

When suspicions arose that this user might be a franchisee, shareholder, or competitor, he clarified, “I have no stocks and no experience with franchises. I'm just an unemployed guy at home who found these posts interesting and decided to analyze them myself.” He emphasized that his motivations were purely in the public interest.

This type of mass complaint effort isn't new. Past cases involving comedian Lee Jin-ho’s illegal gambling and singer Song Min-ho’s poor public service performance also led to investigations following similar online tip-offs.

Experts say this trend reflects a sense of empowerment among netizens who can trigger state investigations with just a few clicks. Professor Seol Dong-hoon of Jeonbuk National University stated, “There is a positive side to public interest reporting, but some complaints have turned into a kind of game.”

Others warn of wasted administrative resources. Professor Kwak Dae-kyung of Dongguk University said, “Without clear evidence, investigative power is wasted verifying the truth of these claims. Distinguishing credible from baseless reports is now more important than ever.”

One-line summary : A viral wave of public complaints based on Baek Jong-won's past broadcast clips is fueling scrutiny of his company, The Born Korea.