LG Uplus, one of South Korea’s major telecommunications providers, has reported a suspected data breach to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA). The company confirmed the development after submitting its report to the national cybersecurity watchdog, though it did not specify when the findings of the ongoing investigation will be made public.

This latest disclosure makes LG Uplus the third major telecom operator in South Korea to face a cybersecurity incident in recent months. SK Telecom and KT Telecom have also reported possible breaches within the last six months, prompting further scrutiny from government authorities.

According to South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, investigations into both KT and LG Uplus, launched last month, remain underway. Reports suggest the recent incidents could be connected to similar attacks previously identified at SK Telecom.

The situation traces back to July, when KISA reportedly detected indications of abnormal activity within LG Uplus systems and urged the company to conduct an internal review and submit an official report. At the time, LG Uplus initially denied evidence of a breach, even as KT acknowledged that customer information had been accessed through unauthorized micro base stations linked to its network. KISA has so far declined to issue further statements regarding these matters.

Compounding the concern, the hacking publication Phrack recently claimed that cyber attackers linked to China or North Korea had infiltrated approximately 9,000 LG Uplus servers. While this claim has not yet been independently confirmed, it mirrors a broader pattern of attacks reported across South Korea’s telecommunications, finance, technology, and public sectors.

Cybersecurity analysts warn that the country’s fragmented defense system and shortage of specialized security professionals continue to pose significant challenges in countering the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.

Authorities are expected to release more details as investigations progress.

Source: Techcrunch