SK 7mobile, the budget phone brand of SK Telink, announced that it will introduce new SIM cards that are one-fourth the size of standard versions. (Image courtesy of SK Telink)
SEOUL, Apr. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – In an effort to reduce plastic waste, South Korea’s telecommunications industry is downsizing the physical SIM cards issued to mobile subscribers.
SK 7mobile, the budget phone brand of SK Telink, announced that it will introduce new SIM cards that are one-fourth the size of standard versions.
Traditionally, a single SIM chip no larger than a fingernail has required an encasing plastic card the size of a credit card, with the excess plastic being discarded as waste.
By adopting the shrunken SIMs, SK 7mobile estimates it can curtail plastic usage by around 4 grams per card compared to conventional SIM cards. Based on the company’s annual SIM usage, it expects to eliminate over 100,000 plastic bottles’ worth of waste each year.
The new SIMs are currently available through SK 7mobile’s online store, with plans to phase out larger SIM cards entirely across all sales channels, including convenience stores, by the second half of 2024.
Earlier, LG Uplus also revealed last month that it would halve the plastic used in its “OneChip” universal SIM cards compatible with its direct subscription plans as well as those offered by budget carriers operating on LG’s network.
LG Uplus projected the smaller SIM card enclosures would enable annual plastic savings of one metric ton.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
