SK Telecom weighs Anthropic sale and prepares December 5G SA launch

By Daniel Okafor

SK Telecom estimated consolidated operating profit of 552.3 billion won for the third quarter of 2026, up 1,040.3% from a year earlier and more than elevenfold. Revenue reached 4.4973 trillion won, up 13.1%, according to the company’s November 4 conference call.

The figures frame a broader investment debate. SK Telecom is weighing a possible sale of its Anthropic holding. It is also preparing an AI token gateway for 23 million subscribers. The operator targets a December 2026 commercial launch for 5G standalone (SA).

What could an Anthropic stake sale fund?

SK Telecom made a strategic investment of $100 million, approximately 130 billion won, in Anthropic in 2023. It added another $100 million through a U.S. investment subsidiary in the first half of 2026. The Anthropic stake had a book value of about 3.505 trillion won at June’s end.

CFO Park Jongseok said: “We plan to make a decision on selling our Anthropic shares after comprehensively considering potential business synergies, market conditions, growth prospects, and funding needs for investment.” Any proceeds could fund shareholder-value enhancements, including medium- to long-term AI data-center investment.

Park did not announce a sale timetable. His conditions leave execution tied to market and strategic priorities.

How will SK Telecom organize AI infrastructure?

SK Telecom is preparing a token gateway for customer AI usage. The service will connect users with models and infrastructure suited to their needs. It will use SK Telecom’s 23 million-subscriber base, payment system and multi-model platforms. The company expects the offering to generate revenue directly.

No launch date, fee structure, usage target or revenue forecast was disclosed. Subscriber reach and billing integration provide the stated route to direct revenue.

• SK Horizon: Operate data centers centered on the Seoul metropolitan area and expand SK Telecom’s 100-MW subsea cable business in Ulsan.
• SK Hyper: Develop gigawatt-scale AI data-center projects, following its establishment in July.

Since its July establishment, SK Hyper has secured sites and worked to attract customers, while in Ulsan it has obtained building permits for some planned capacity and is discussing business terms with three to four global operators. The discussions mark early commercial development; SK Telecom disclosed neither contract value nor project revenue.

When does 5G standalone reach commercial service?

SK Telecom has completed commercialization validation for 5G standalone. It plans a commercial launch in December 2026. Network strategy head Lee Jonghun said: “Commercialization validation for 5G SA has been completed, and we plan to launch it commercially in December.”

The December service will place 5G standalone ahead of its wider 5G Advanced validation work, which remains under research, testing and validation for key technologies. The roadmap expects 6G commercialization after 2030. That leaves the current 5G build as the near-term commercial focus.

Can satellite services disrupt South Korea’s mobile market?

SK Telecom expects low Earth orbit satellite services, including Starlink, to have limited short-term effects on South Korea’s mobile telecommunications market. CFO Park Jongseok based that view on the nationwide 5G networks already operated by domestic carriers, together with their network quality and service competitiveness in the domestic market.

Park described the domestic networks as offering excellent quality and competitiveness. The company disclosed no Starlink pricing, subscriber or coverage figures. Its conclusion remains an internal market assessment, not a quantified satellite-demand forecast.

What are the next checkpoints?

For the fourth quarter, SK Telecom plans to pursue qualitative growth by attracting high-value subscribers. MNO Support Office head Bae Byeongchan said the strategy would enhance customer value and competitiveness. He expects those efforts to support a gradual recovery in MNO revenue. The company did not quantify either subscriber additions or the revenue recovery.

The next concrete checkpoints are a December 2026 5G SA launch, continuing Ulsan negotiations and an Anthropic sale decision shaped by market conditions. The 6G target remains beyond 2030. SK Telecom’s nearer-term investment focus is a December 2026 5G SA launch, AI token-gateway development and gigawatt-scale data-center projects.