"Of All Times, During the Busiest Hour..." KT-Originated 'Communication Outage' Sparks Numerous Reports of Damage Cases

KT internet network experienced outages across the country starting around 11:20 AM on the 25th. The photo shows mobile and PC screens disconnected from the internet on that day. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] "Of all times, this chaos happened just before lunchtime, the busiest time. The delivery apps weren't working, card payments failed, and there was no guidance on what to do." "While attending a Zoom lecture, the professor and classmates suddenly disappeared." "Even phone calls were down, which was truly shocking."

Starting around 11:20 a.m. on the 25th, KT's nationwide wired and wireless internet networks were paralyzed, causing numerous reports of disruptions across the country. The service outage was restored around noon after about 30 to 40 minutes, but instability persisted afterward. Not only was internet access affected, but in some areas, even mobile phone calls were disrupted.

Restaurants and shops using the KT network experienced malfunctions in payment systems and QR code authentication, leading many citizens to express inconvenience.

Park, who runs a restaurant near Dangsan Station, said, "It went down during the busiest time when orders were pouring in. There was no information about what the problem was or when it would be fixed, which was even more frustrating." He added, "The number of orders during lunchtime was only about one-tenth of usual. Since card payments didn't work, we barely managed with bank transfers and cash." It was reported that elderly customers who are not familiar with smartphone banking especially voiced complaints at restaurants.

Another person who tried to order food via a delivery app before lunchtime also expressed frustration, saying, "Orders couldn't be placed due to the restaurant's system paralysis."

Confusion was also observed as QR code authentication, required for entering restaurants, failed, causing lines to form on the streets. Some restaurants that had not prepared handwritten entry logs hurriedly provided sheets for customers to write down their contact information. Even phone calls for entry registration were not smooth. Jeong, a KT wireless subscriber living near Sungshin Women's University, said, "I tried calling several times, but only received a message saying 'This is not a serviceable area.'"

Work disruptions also occurred in offices. Some office workers practically stopped working and headed to restaurants early for lunch. A few connected to other carriers' mobile phone tethering, such as SK Telecom and LG Uplus, to handle urgent tasks, but if the company system was based on KT servers, even this was difficult. Articles from media outlets using the KT network were not exposed on portals during this time. Corporate customers using KT lines circumvented through SK Broadband and LG Uplus, which reportedly affected overall wired internet speeds in some areas.

On the internet, many voices expressed dissatisfaction over the KT outage. Especially stock traders, for whom transactions by the second and minute are critical, complained, saying, "It became a forced holiday," "A good time for manipulation," and "I was supposed to sell just now but couldn't." Korea Investment & Securities posted a notice on their app stating, "Due to KT internet access disruption, customers using KT telecom may experience connection issues." Bae, who runs an online shopping mall, said, "I chose KT because it was the most stable and cheapest package, but this is frustrating," adding, "Since my business is internet-based, there was nothing I could do without internet."

Among those using bundled services from personal smartphones to home internet, some considered switching providers. One netizen said, "I've used KT for a long time, but maybe it's time to change," shaking their head, "I don't know if proper follow-up measures will be taken."

This outage highlighted how heavily our society depends on the internet. Especially with many working from home and remote classes due to COVID-19, the impact was even greater. A university student posted online, "During a Zoom class, the professor and classmates disappeared simultaneously," adding, "All are KT subscribers." KT had also held an online AI briefing via Zoom for reporters around 11 a.m., just before the internet network went down.

KT stated, "We have immediately activated the crisis management committee and are taking measures. We will do our best for a quick recovery." There was speculation that the incident might have been caused by a large-scale DDoS attack, but this has not been confirmed. An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "We are aware of the situation and are communicating to identify the cause. Currently, no cause has been determined." No disruptions occurred on SK Telecom (SK Broadband) or LG Uplus networks, except KT.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.