After months of denial, LG U+ finally admits security leak to authorities

Home > National > Social Affairs

After months of denial, LG U+ finally admits security leak to authorities

Published: 23 Oct. 2025, 12:35 Updated: 23 Oct. 2025, 18:49

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

LG U+ CEO Hong Bum-shik answers lawmakers’ questions about a possible hack of the mobile carrier during a parliamentary audit of ICT-related agencies at the National Assembly building in western Seoul on Oct. 21. [NEWS1]

LG U+ reported a server hacking incident to cybersecurity authorities on Thursday, according to industry insiders, following months of controversy over alleged data leaks at the mobile carrier.

The company submitted a report to the Korea internet & Security Agency (KISA) detailing the breach, according to insiders in the telecommunications industry.

In August, global hacking e-zine Phrack claimed that information from 8,938 LG U+ servers, along with 42,526 user accounts and data on 167 employees, had been leaked.

KISA reportedly detected signs of a hack in July and urged LG U+ to file a formal report. The company initially declined, saying there was “no evidence of a leak.”

However, an on-site investigation is now underway at the recommendation of the Ministry of Science and ICT.

During a recent parliamentary audit, lawmakers criticized LG U+ for allegedly deleting evidence after receiving notice of a possible hack from the authorities. The company allegedly updated or physically removed servers linked to its account access management system (APPM) to erase traces of the breach.

At the Tuesday audit, LG U+ CEO Hong Bum-shik told lawmakers that the company would report the hacking incident to the authorities.

“We understood that the report should be filed after confirming a cyber intrusion,” he said. “Given the confusion and misunderstanding that have arisen, we plan to take a more proactive approach.”

Hong added that the company would “follow the procedures set by the National Assembly and the Ministry of Science and ICT.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]