SK Telecom Q1 2026 Earnings Call - Subscriber Growth Returns, Dividends Resume, AI Data Centers Scale
Summary
SK Telecom’s first quarter of fiscal 2026 marks a decisive pivot. After months of subscriber churn and profit erosion following a cybersecurity incident, the company posted its first net handset subscriber adds in over a year. Management used that momentum to resume quarterly dividends at KRW 830 per share, signaling a return to shareholder-friendly capital allocation. Revenue grew 1.5% quarter-over-quarter to KRW 4.39 trillion, driven by wireless recovery and a surging AI data center business that reported 89% year-over-year revenue growth. Operating profit hit KRW 537.6 billion, clearing the 500 billion KRW mark for the first time since the disruption.
The strategic narrative is clear: stabilize the core, monetize AI infrastructure, and let profitability follow. SK Telecom is restructuring its AI portfolio through a “focus and prioritize” approach, cutting low-margin lines while scaling data center capacity across Gasan, Pangyo, and the new Ulsan facility. Management declined to share data center profitability metrics, citing market sensitivity, but insisted the segment’s margins are comparable to legacy telecom and improving. On the wireless side, the company is steering away from price wars, targeting high-LTV segments like foreign residents and leveraging flagship device cycles to rebuild market share. Network innovation, including early-stage AI RAN research with NVIDIA and Samsung, is being tracked but not rushed into commercial deployment. The path ahead hinges on sustaining subscriber momentum and translating AI infrastructure demand into durable earnings.
Key Takeaways
- SK Telecom returned to net handset subscriber adds in Q1 2026, recording approximately 210,000 new customers after a prolonged period of churn, marking a tangible sign of trust recovery in its core wireless business.
- The company resumed quarterly dividend payments starting in Q1, distributing KRW 830 per share, with a stated goal of restoring full-year dividend levels to pre-incident norms as earnings normalize.
- Consolidated revenue grew 1.5% quarter-over-quarter to KRW 4.39 trillion, supported by wireless revenue expansion and robust growth in the AI data center segment.
- Operating profit reached KRW 537.6 billion, surpassing the 500 billion KRW threshold for the first time since the cybersecurity disruption, reflecting improved cost discipline and customer retention.
- AI data center revenue surged 89% year-over-year, driven by higher utilization at the Gasan facility, contributions from Pangyo, and active construction at the new Ulsan AI data center.
- Management emphasized a “focus and prioritize” strategy for its AI portfolio, discontinuing low-margin projects while doubling down on infrastructure, B2B full-stack AI capabilities, and its proprietary A. agent platform.
- SK Telecom is actively expanding its AI data center footprint, with plans to build additional facilities in Seoul and pursue partnerships with global tech companies responding to surging AI infrastructure demand.
- The company is steering its wireless strategy away from price competition, instead targeting high-LTV segments like foreign residents and leveraging flagship device cycles to rebuild market share organically.
- Tax-exempt dividend capacity has been unlocked through a KRW 1.7 trillion capital reserve transfer to retained earnings, with the first tax-exempt distributions expected at the 2026 year-end payout.
- AI RAN technology is under active research with global partners like NVIDIA and Samsung, but management cautioned that commercial deployment remains contingent on technology maturity, standardization, and network validation.
- AI traffic growth is accelerating but still represents a small fraction of total network load; SK Telecom is exploring traffic distribution and edge inference opportunities tied to future AI RAN deployments.
- Management reiterated that annual earnings are expected to exceed pre-incident levels, driven by wireless stabilization, AI data center scaling, and enterprise-wide productivity gains from AI tool adoption and call center automation.
Full Transcript
Conference Moderator, Conference Operator: The conference call for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 earnings results by SK Telecom will commence in a few minutes. Please wait until the conference begins. 안녕하십니까? SK텔레콤 실적 발표 컨퍼런스 콜에 참여해 주셔서 감사합니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: 오늘 진행 순서는 SK텔레콤의 발표 후 참석해 주신 여러분과 질의응답 시간을 가질 예정입니다. 질문을 하실 분은 전화기 버튼의 별표와 1번을 누르시기 바랍니다. 그럼 지금부터 SK텔레콤 2026년 1분기 실적 발표를 시작하겠습니다. Good morning and good evening. Thank you all for joining the conference call for the SK Telecom earnings results. This conference will start with a presentation followed by a Q&A session. If you have a question, please press star and one on your phone during the Q&A. Now we will begin the presentation on SK Telecom’s first quarter of fiscal year 2026 earnings results. 안녕하십니까? SK텔레콤 IRO 김태희입니다. 예정보다 늦게 시작하게 된 점 양해 부탁드립니다. 지금부터 SK텔레콤 2026년 1분기 실적 발표 컨퍼런스 콜을 시작하겠습니다. 오늘 컨퍼런스 콜은 재무실적 및 사업 현황 등을 말씀드리고 Q&A를 갖는 순서로 진행하겠습니다. 향후 전망 관련 내용은 시장과 경영 환경 등 다양한 변수에 따라서 달라질 수 있다는 점도 미리 말씀드립니다. 그럼 박종석 CFO께서 말씀하시겠습니다. Good afternoon.
I am Kim Tae-hee, IRO of SK Telecom. I first like to ask for your kind understanding that the earnings call started later than scheduled. Let us now begin the earnings conference call for the first quarter of 2026. Today, we will first deliver a presentation on the financial and business highlights, followed by a Q&A session. Please note that all forward-looking statements are subject to change depending on various factors such as market and management situations. Let me now present our CFO.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 안녕하십니까? SK텔레콤 CFO 박종석입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Good afternoon. This is Park Jong-seok, CFO of SK Telecom.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 당사는 올 한 해 고객 가치를 중심으로 본원적 경쟁력을 강화하고 정예화된 AI 사업을 통해 수익성을 회복해 나가겠다는 목표를 말씀드린 바 있습니다. 이번 분기는 이러한 방향성이 실제 성과로 이어지기 시작한 유의미한 시기였습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: At the beginning of this year, we said that we would focus on strengthening fundamental business competitiveness centered on customer value and restore profitability through sophisticated AI business in 2026. The first quarter was a significant period in which this direction began to translate into actual results.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 그동안 기울여 온 고객 신뢰 회복을 위한 지속적인 노력에 힘입어 이번 분기 무선 가입자 순증 전환하는 등 본업인 통신 사업의 체력이 빠르게 정상화되고 있습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Thanks to ceaseless efforts to regain our customers trust, the company recorded a net subscriber add this quarter, and the fundamentals of our core telecom business are rapidly returning to normal.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: AI 사업은 선택과 집중 전략을 기반으로 사업 구조를 정비한 결과 점진적인 성과 개선이 나타나고 있습니다. 이러한 변화들이 실적으로 이어지며 당사는 사고 이전 수준의 이익 성과를 달성할 수 있었습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: The performance of the AI business is gradually improving as a result of business restructuring based on a strategy of focus and prioritization. As these changes led to actual results, we were able to post earnings similar to the levels prior to the cybersecurity incident.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 이번 분기부터 실적이 정상 궤도로 회복됨에 따라 배당을 재개하기로 결정하였습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: With business performance returning to normal, the company has decided to resume dividend payments starting this quarter.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 1분기 배당금은 주당 830원입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Dividend per share for the first quarter is KRW 830.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 지난 실적 발표에서 투자자 여러분께 약속드린 부분을 지킬 수 있게 되어 기쁘게 생각합니다. 통신 사업의 체질을 계속해서 개선해 나가고 AI 사업에서 추가적인 성과를 창출해 연간 실적을 정상화함으로써 배당 수준을 회복할 수 있도록 앞으로도 최선을 다하겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: We are pleased that we were able to deliver on the promises that we made during the last earnings call. We will make every effort to restore the dividend level by normalizing earnings on a full year basis through continuous improvement of the telecom business fundamentals and creation of additional results from the AI business.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 이제 1분기 연결 재무실적을 말씀드리겠습니다. 매출은 4조 3,923억 원을 기록했습니다. 이번 분기 가입자 순증에 따른 무선 매출 증가와 데이터센터 사업 성장세에 힘입어 전분기 대비 1.5% 성장하였습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Let me now report on the financial results for Q1. Consolidated revenue posted KRW 4.39 trillion, up 1.5% Q-on-Q on the back of MNO revenue growth driven by subscriber growth and the growth trend of the data center business.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 영업이익은 5,376억 원을 기록했습니다. 고객 신뢰 회복을 위한 노력과 전사 차원의 생산성 개선 등을 통해서 5,000억 원 이상의 분기 영업이익 성과를 달성하였습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: We posted KRW 537.6 billion in consolidated operating income. Our quarterly operating income exceeded more than KRW 500 billion, which is attributable to extensive efforts to regain customers trust and company-wide initiatives to improve productivity.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 다음으로 사업별 성과를 말씀드리겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Let me now present business highlights by business line.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 무선 사업은 이번 분기 약 21만 명의 핸드셋 가입자 순증을 달성했습니다. 고객 가치를 혁신하고 신뢰를 회복하기 위한 여러 조치들이 가시적인 성과로 이어진 결과입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: MNO achieved a handset subscriber net add of approximately 210,000 in the first quarter, which is a substantive outcome of diverse measures taken to innovate customer value and restore customers trust.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 당사는 이에 그치지 않고 고객 친화적인 상품과 서비스를 통해 본원적 경쟁력을 더욱 제고하고 있습니다. 멤버십 제도의 개편을 통해 고객 혜택을 늘리고 이용 편의성을 개선했으며, 고객 선택권을 더욱 강화하기 위한 요금제 개편도 추진하고 있습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: We are not complacent, but remain committed to further strengthening business fundamentals and competitiveness with customer friendly products and services. We have expanded customer benefits and usability by restructuring the membership program, and we’re currently overhauling price plans to offer more choices to customers.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 유선 사업 역시 꾸준한 가입자 순증과 기가 인터넷 등 상위 요금제 가입자 비중 증가, 그리고 기존 가입자 리텐션 강화 등을 통해 안정적인 성과를 보이고 있습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: The fixed line business is also producing stable results thanks to continued subscriber net adds, an increase in the share of subscribers signing up for higher price plans, including giga price plan, and a stronger subscriber retention trend.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 고객이 업의 본질이라는 사실에 입각한 다양한 변화와 실행을 통해 가입자 회복과 수익성 강화의 두 목표를 모두 달성할 수 있도록 최선을 다하겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: We will do our utmost to achieve the dual objectives of subscriber recovery and profitability enhancement through constant change and execution based on the philosophy that customers are the essence of our business.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: AI 사업은 선택과 집중 전략의 효과가 점차 가시화되고 있습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: In the AI business, the effects of the strategy of focus and prioritization are gradually becoming visible.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: AI 데이터, 데이터센터 사업 매출은 Gasan 데이터센터 가동률 상승과 Pangyo 데이터센터에 힘입어 전년 대비 성장세를 이어가고 있습니다. 울산 AI 데이터센터의 구축은 순조롭게 진행되는 가운데, 서울 지역 등에 새로운 데이터센터를 구축하며 추가적인 스케일업을 추진해 나갈 계획입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: AI 데이터센터 revenue is maintaining a growth trend year-over-year, driven by Pangyo Data Center and higher utilization of Gasan data center. The construction of Ulsan AI Data Center is underway, and we plan to pursue additional scale-up by building new data centers in areas including Seoul.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 글로벌 빅테크를 중심으로 AI 데이터센터 수요가 급증함에 따라 당사의 AI 데이터센터 사업에도 새로운 기회가 열리고 있습니다. AI 데이터센터 밸류체인 전 영역에 걸친 사업 경험과 차별적 경쟁력을 바탕으로 글로벌 사업자들과의 협력을 적극 추진하면서 AI 인프라 사업을 지속 확대해 나가겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: New opportunities are emerging for our AI 데이터센터 business due to the surge in demand for AI data centers from global tech companies. Based on business experience and differentiated competitiveness across the entire value chain of AI data centers, we will actively pursue partnerships with global players and keep expanding our AI infrastructure business.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: AI B2C의 A. agent 사업은 통신 사업과의 시너지를 창출하고 본원적 경쟁력을 높이는 방향으로 진화해 나가고 있습니다. A.의 자체 경쟁력 강화를 위해 독자 AI 파운데이션 모델을 연계하여 성능을 개선시켜 나갈 계획입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Within AI B2C business, the agent business is evolving in a direction that creates synergy with the telecom business and enhances fundamental competitiveness. We plan to improve A.’s performance by linking it with our proprietary AI foundation model to strengthen its own competitiveness.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: AI 도입 확산으로 B2B 시장은 AI transformation을 통해 구조적인 변화를 맞이하고 있으며, 새로운 AI 기반 시장이 본격적으로 형성되고 있습니다. 당사는 AI 인프라 모델 에이전트를 아우르는 풀스택 역량과 기존 B2B 사업에서 확보한 고객 기반 및 수행 역량을 결집하여 변화하는 시장에서 주도권을 확보해 나가겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: With the increase in AI adoption, the B2B market is undergoing structural change driven by AI transformation, and new AI based markets are taking shape. SK Telecom will secure leadership in the rapidly evolving market by utilizing full stack AI capabilities across infrastructure models and agents, and mobilizing the customer base and execution capabilities secured from our B2B business.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 위기를 극복하고 더 큰 성장을 위한 변화와 도전을 지속 중인 SK텔레콤에게 투자자와 애널리스트 여러분의 지속적인 관심과 성원을 부탁드립니다. 감사합니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: We ask for the continued support and interest of our investors and analysts as we overcome the crisis and continue driving change and embracing challenges to achieve greater growth. Thank you.
네, 그럼 지금부터 Q&A 세션을 시작하도록 하겠습니다.
We will now like to begin the Q&A session.
Conference Moderator, Conference Operator: 지금부터 질의응답을 시작하겠습니다. 질문을 하실 분은 전화기 버튼의 별표와 1번을 누르시기 바랍니다. 질문을 취소하시려면 별표와 2번을 누르시면 됩니다.
Now Q&A session will begin. Please press star one, that is star and one, if you have any questions. Questions will be taken according to the order you have pressed the number star one. For cancellation, please press star two, that is star and two on your phone. The first question will be provided by Seung-Woong Lee from Yuanta Securities. Please go ahead with your question.
Seung-Woong Lee, Analyst, Yuanta Securities: I’m Seung Wong from Yuanta Securities. Thank you for the opportunity to ask you questions. I have 2 questions. First of all, as you mentioned during your earnings presentation, the company started quarterly dividend payment starting from Q1, and I’d like to understand the overall shareholder return plan and the size of the shareholder return for the entire year of 2026. Secondly, I can see that the company was able to produce earnings results that are similar to the levels prior to the cybersecurity incident. Is it safe to understand that this type of trend will become a new normal? And I’d like to get some guidance from the company on a full year basis earnings outlook. Thank you. First of all, thank you for your questions.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: I’d like to comment on the question on our annual earnings outlook, and then I will move on to addressing your second question on shareholder returns. First, on our annual earnings outlook. In the first quarter, our operating profit posted KRW 537.6 billion, and the trend has reversed from the downward trend after the cybersecurity incident and shown an upward trend to be approaching the pre-incident levels. Our goal is to improve the full year earnings further from the current levels. For our telecom business, thanks to our efforts to restore customers’ trust, which is our number 1 priority in 2026, we achieved a net addition to handset subscribers in Q1, contributing to the recovery of the bottom line as well as the top line.
For our AI business, we are reviewing and implementing various measures to improve the structural profitability by pursuing pivoting and discontinuation of low margin businesses through the strategy of focus and prioritization. Data center business is seeing a meaningful growth trend, and the B2B business has revised its strategy to focus on AI full stack capabilities. We believe that these businesses will drive revenue and contribute to bottom line improvements for the remainder of the year. Finally, we are working to improve productivity in terms of business operations and processes through enterprise-wide AI tool adoption and AX transformation of call centers, and these measures are having a positive impact on cost efficiency improvement.
In short, we will do our utmost to recover the annual to be higher than the pre-incident levels through profitability recovery of the telecom business, expansion of growth businesses centered on AI data centers, and continuous productivity enhancement. Now I’d like to speak about shareholder returns for 2026. As was announced earlier, we resumed quarterly dividend payments with the DPS for the first quarter of KRW 831. I’d like to thank our shareholders very much for their kind understanding and patience. As earnings continue to recover this year, we plan to conduct dividend payments as stably as possible.
연간 배당 규모에 대해서는 실적이 구체화되는 시점에 경영 성과와 재무 구조 등을 고려하여 이사회에서 논의하고 결정할 예정입니다. 현 시점에서 구체적인 숫자를 말씀드리기는 어렵지만 예년 수준의 배당을 시행하기 위해 최선의 노력을 다할 것임을 약속드립니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: As for the size of the dividends for the whole year, when concrete full year earnings become more materialized, the board of directors will have discussions and make decisions in consideration of business performance and financial structure. I won’t be able to share with you any specific number at this point, but I promise that we will do our utmost to restore the dividend levels to the previous levels.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 또한 당사는 지난 3월 주주총회에서 비과세 배당이 가능하도록 1조 7천억 원 규모의 자본준비금을 이익잉여금으로 전입한 바 있습니다. 주주 여러분께 실질적인 혜택을 드릴 수 있을 것으로 기대하고 있으며, 참고로 비과세 배당은 관련 법에 따라 2026년 기말 배당부터 가능하다는 점을 말씀드립니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: At the annual general meeting of shareholders in March, the company transferred capital reserves of KRW 1.7 trillion to retained earnings to allow tax-exempt dividends, which is expected to deliver substantive benefits to shareholders. For your reference, according to relevant law, tax-exempt dividends are possible from the 2026 year-end dividends.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 다음 질문 받겠습니다.
Conference Moderator, Conference Operator: 다음으로 질문해 주실 분은 KB증권의 김준섭 님입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: The following question will be presented by Joonsop Kim from KB Securities. Please go ahead with your question.
Kim Joonsop, Analyst, KB Securities: 질문해 주셔서 감사합니다. KB증권 김준섭입니다. MNO 마케팅 전략과 AIDC 사업 관련해서 여쭤보고 싶습니다. 최근 가입자 순증가 점유율 흐름을 볼 때 회복세에 돌입한 것 같은데요. SK텔레콤이 생각하시는 가입자 점유율 목표와 이를 달성하기 위한 마케팅 전략 방향성을 공유해 주시면 도움이 될 것 같습니다. 아울러 점유율 회복 과정에서 수익성과의 균형을 어떻게 잡고 계신지도 설명해 주시면 좋겠습니다. 다음은 AIDC입니다. 이번 분기 AIDC 매출액이 전년 동기 대비 89% 성장한 것으로 알려주셨는데요. 목표로 하고 계시는 AIDC 사업 부문의 유의미한 이익 기여 시점과 기여 레벨이 어느 정도 수준인지 방향성 수준에서라도 말씀해 주시면 큰 도움이 될 것 같습니다. 감사합니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: I’m Kim Joonsop from KB Securities. Thank you for the opportunity. I have two questions. One on MNO marketing, the other on AIDC. You have produced a recovery trend in terms of the net subscriber adds as well as a market share. I’d like to understand the overall subscriber market share target for SK Telecom and the marketing direction, and how you’re planning to strike a balance between profitability and marketing. Secondly, when you reported that the AIDC revenue in the first quarter has increased by 89% year-over-year, and I’d like to understand how this AIDC business is making meaningful contribution to your profitability. If you can give us some color, I would appreciate it.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 질문 감사드립니다. 먼저 AIDC 사업에 대해서 제가 답변드리고, 이후 무선 가입자 목표에 대한 질문에는 배병찬 MNO 지원 실장께서 답변드리도록 하겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Thank you for your questions. I’d like to address your question on our AIDC business, I will hand over to Mr. Bae Byeong-chan in charge of MNO support, who will answer your question on our MNO subscriber targets.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 먼저 AIDC 사업을 통한 유의미한 이익 확보 시점 및 규모에 대해서 말씀드리겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: First, let me comment on the timeline as to when AIDC business will be able to make meaningful earnings contribution.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 당사는 AIDC 사업 매출 외에 기타 지표, 특히 수익성 관련 지표는 아직 공개하고 있지 않습니다. 시장에서 관심이 많으신 줄 알면서도 국내 DC 시장 상황 등을 종합적으로 고려한 점임을 양해해 주시기 바랍니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: First of all, I’d like to remind you that we only announced AIDC revenue numbers, and we do not disclose any other indicators, including profitability related indicators. We’re aware that the market is interested in knowing this, but please understand that we are doing so in consideration of various factors, including the domestic data center market situations.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 다만 기존의 유무선 통신 사업과 비교했을 때 수익성 측면에서 열위에 있지 않고, 앞으로 더 좋아질 여지가 크다는 점은 말씀드릴 수 있겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: What I can say is that the AIDC business is comparable to the existing telecom business in terms of profitability, and there’s much room for the AIDC business to become even more profitable going forward.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 당사가 AIDC 사업을 핵심 성장축으로 추진하고 있는 만큼 투자자 여러분들이 사업 성과를 보다 명확히 이해하실 수 있는 지표를 고민하고 검토해 가겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Since AIDC is our key growth business, we will think of what we can share, to help investors better understand our AIDC business performance.
Park Jong-seok, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), SK Telecom: 다음으로 무선 가입자 목표에 대해 배병찬 MNO 지원 실장께서 답변드리도록 하겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Now I’d like to turn to Mr. Bae in charge of MNO support to answer your question on our MNO subscriber targets.
Bae Byeong-chan, MNO Support Director, SK Telecom: 무선 가입자 점유율에 대해 말씀드리겠습니다. 2026년도는 전년 대비 핸드셋 가입자 수가 약 98만 6천 명 감소한 상황에서 시작하게 되었습니다.
I’d like to comment on our MNO subscriber target. The new year 2026 started with the number of handset subscribers reduced by around 986,000 year-over-year. Reflecting on our performance in the first quarter, we were able to achieve a net add in subscribers on the back of changes in the competitive landscape back to school marketing to attract new subscribers and Galaxy S26 flagship handset marketing. We were able to achieve net addition to our handset subscribers of 208,000. Throughout the year, we will continue to make efforts to recover subscribers by targeting new segments, including foreigners, and strengthening competitiveness in terms of products, services, and sales channels. We continue to strengthen fundamental competitiveness through business operation focused on profitability, we believe that the subscriber base and the market share will naturally grow.
Based on this approach, we will avoid engaging in excessive spending competition aimed solely at increasing subscriber numbers, but rather focus on market operation on securing high LTV subscribers.
Conference Moderator, Conference Operator: The following question will be presented by Kim Aram from Shinhan Securities. Please go ahead with your question.
Kim Aram, Analyst, Shinhan Securities: I’m Kim Aram from Shinhan Securities. I’d like to ask you two questions. First of all, telecoms equipment providers, both in Korea as well as abroad are focusing on developing AI RAN, which is about using telecommunications network infrastructure for AI functions such as inference. I’d like to get SK Telecom’s view on AI RAN. Secondly, there is an increasing demand and growth for AI traffic, and I’d like to understand what this increase in AI traffic, what kind of business opportunities will this bring to SK Telecom as a telco? Thank you. Thank you for your question. On your questions on AI RAN as well as business opportunities brought by AI traffic, Mr. Jonghoon Lee, in charge of network strategy, will address them. I am Lee Jonghoon, in charge of network strategy.
Lee Jonghoon, Network Strategy Director, SK Telecom: I’d like to first talk about expected benefits and commercialization plans of AI RAN. AI RAN is evolving in two domains. One is to improve telecommunications network infrastructure using AI, and the other is to use wireless network infrastructure as a platform to provide AI services. In the first domain, we expect to be able to automate base station operations through AI-based failure prediction, optimization of traffic and resources, and power efficiency improvement. This will lead to higher efficiency and improved customer experience. As for the second domain, we may be able to create new business opportunities and generate profit from the provision of AI services, such as inference and media processing by utilizing AI computing resources at the base stations. We are actively participating in technology research and standardization together with global players and manufacturers such as Samsung, Docomo and NVIDIA for the evolution of AI RAN.
다만 AI RAN은 아직 초기의 단계인 만큼 기술 성숙도, 표준화 정도, 상용망 검증 결과 등을 종합적으로 고려해서 도입 여부를 검토할 예정입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: AI RAN is still in an early stage, so we will consider the adoption of AI RAN by comprehensively considering various aspects, such as technology maturity, standardization, validation on commercial networks, and other aspects.
Lee Jonghoon, Network Strategy Director, SK Telecom: 향후 AI RAN을 포함한 차세대 네트워크 기술 영역에서 기술 리더십을 유지하는 동시에 이를 활용한 신사업 기회를 선제적으로 확보해 나갈 예정입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: We will continue to maintain technology leadership in the next generation network technology areas, including AI RAN, and use the technology leadership to proactively secure new business opportunities.
Lee Jonghoon, Network Strategy Director, SK Telecom: 다음으로 AI 트래픽에 대해서 말씀드리겠습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: Next, I like to make some comments on AI traffic.
Lee Jonghoon, Network Strategy Director, SK Telecom: AI 트래픽은 급속도로 증가하고 있는 추세를 보이고 있지만 아직 전체 트래픽에서 차지하는 비중은 굉장히 낮습니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: While there is significant increase in AI traffic, the share of AI traffic in the entire traffic is still not very high.
Lee Jonghoon, Network Strategy Director, SK Telecom: 다만 앞에서 말씀드린 AI RAN과 연계에 대해서 다양한 활용 방법과 트래픽 분산 방법에 대해서 고민을 하고 있고, 이를 기술적으로 반영하여 진행해 나갈 예정입니다.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: However, we’re considering ways to make AI traffic increase with a connection with AI RAN and how to distribute traffic across the networks. We will continue to look into technology to be able to do so.
네, 혹시 지금 추가로 질문 등록하신 분이 계실까요?
Conference Moderator, Conference Operator: 현재 대기 중인 분은 없습니다. There are no questions in the queue right now.
Kim Tae-hee, Investor Relations Officer (IRO), SK Telecom: 네, 그럼 이것으로 2026년 1분기 실적 발표 컨퍼런스 콜을 마치도록 하겠습니다. 오늘 답변이 부족했다거나 추가적으로 궁금한 점이 있으시면 언제든지 IR에 문의해 주시기 바랍니다. 감사합니다.
This concludes the earnings conference call for 2026 first quarter of SK Telecom. If you need further explanations or have additional questions, please contact IR anytime. Thank you.