en.Wedoany.com Reported - SK Telecom announced its consolidated results for the second quarter of 2026, reporting revenue of KRW 4.3591 trillion and operating profit of KRW 566 billion, up 67.3% year-on-year; net profit for the quarter stood at KRW 466 billion.
On a Korean International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS) basis, the company's quarterly revenue increased 0.5% year-on-year, driven primarily by growth in its data center business. Operating profit rose 5.3% quarter-on-quarter, with the year-on-year increase partly attributable to a base effect from one-off expenses in the same period last year. On a non-consolidated basis, revenue was KRW 3.1170 trillion, operating profit was KRW 427.7 billion, and net profit was KRW 310.6 billion.
In its telecommunications business, the company said its focus on restoring customer trust and improving profitability has shown clear signs of a turnaround; its AI business recorded strong growth while executing a strategy of focus and prioritization. The quarterly dividend per share remained at KRW 830, unchanged from the first quarter, marking the second consecutive quarter at this level.
The AI data center (AIDC) business was the fastest-growing segment. AIDC revenue reached KRW 136.2 billion in the second quarter, up 92.5% year-on-year, driven mainly by expanded operational scale. As generative AI becomes widespread across industries and demand for high-performance computing infrastructure rises, timely delivery of AI infrastructure to customers such as global tech giants has become a key competitive factor.
To accelerate this business expansion, SK Telecom established SK Hyper last month as the entity responsible for executing its AIDC business. SK Hyper will secure critical resources such as land and power capacity and expand outreach to global customers to drive project implementation and pursue market leadership. The company's initial plan is to phase in AIDC capacity starting in 2029, with a total target capacity of 5 gigawatts (GW).
In its mobile business, SKT achieved net subscriber growth in a stable market environment by identifying new customer segments and pursuing differentiated marketing. The company launched a combined 5G and LTE plan in July to restructure its pricing framework, and is enhancing customer lifetime value (CLV) by improving customer experience and service accessibility.
SK Telecom CFO Park Jong-seok stated that in the first half of the year, the company focused on solidifying its fundamentals through profitability in its telecom business while laying the groundwork for rapid expansion of its AI data center business. The next step will be dedicated to positioning Korea as an AI infrastructure hub in Asia.
