It has been confirmed that the personal information of approximately 24,000 Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) employees was exposed on an external webpage. KEPCO has completed deletion of the exposed information and is working with relevant agencies to investigate the cause and prevent damage.

■ Identified at 3:59 p.m. on October 1... "Unique Identification Numbers and Sensitive Information Not Exposed"

KEPCO stated in its announcement regarding the exposure of employee personal information on an external webpage that it became aware of the situation at around 3:59 p.m. on October 1. The exposed information included the names, affiliations, and phone numbers of approximately 24,000 employees. However, KEPCO explained that unique identification numbers, such as resident registration numbers, and sensitive information were not exposed.

■ Internal System Blocked and Deletion Completed... "Compensation Procedures If Damage Reports Are Received"

Immediately after identifying the situation, KEPCO blocked access to internal systems related to employee personal information. It also requested the operator of the external webpage to delete the information, and stated that deletion measures for the exposed information have been completed. An emergency response situation room has been established, operating a close coordination system with relevant agencies.

KEPCO said it explained the circumstances of the leak to the affected employees via text messages and emails, and provided guidance on specific measures to prevent secondary damage. If reports of actual or anticipated damage are received, KEPCO plans to conduct necessary investigations and proceed with remedies, including compensation for damages.

■ Cause to Be Determined Through Joint and Internal Investigations... Recurrence Prevention Measures to Be Prepared

The investigation into the cause of the exposure will continue. KEPCO explained that it plans to thoroughly determine the cause through joint investigations with relevant agencies and its own internal investigation, and to prepare measures to prevent recurrence based on the investigation results.

This incident, in which a large volume of employee personal information was exposed externally, has highlighted the importance of reviewing information protection systems and the effectiveness of follow-up measures. Beyond deleting the exposed information, concrete measures to check for potential additional damage and prevent recurrence are being called for.

■ "Customer Information Not Exposed... Managed Separately on a Dedicated System"

Meanwhile, KEPCO stated that customer information, apart from employee data, was not exposed. It said customer information is safely managed and protected separately on a dedicated system. KEPCO intends to continue cooperating with relevant agencies to determine the exact cause of the exposure and to prepare recurrence prevention measures based on the investigation results.

■ 10th Place in Netizen Awards Corporate Category... No Confirmed Link to This Incident

Meanwhile, as of the afternoon of the 13th, KEPCO ranked 10th in the corporate category of the October Netizen Awards. Having placed in the top 10 of the Netizen Awards, which gauges public interest in companies, KEPCO's response to the personal information exposure incident is also drawing attention. Since the corporate category rankings are determined by netizen participation, it remains to be seen how interest in KEPCO will develop going forward. However, no direct connection between this personal information exposure incident and the Netizen Awards ranking has been confirmed.

With personal information protection and the restoration of trust emerging as key challenges, attention is focused on what follow-up measures KEPCO, currently ranked 10th in the October Netizen Awards corporate category, will take regarding this incident, as well as on the specifics of the investigation results and recurrence prevention measures.

[This article was written based on KEPCO's official statement, and the scope of exposure and details of the measures taken follow KEPCO's account. Additional facts may be confirmed depending on future investigation results. AI assistance was used in writing this article.]