SK Telecom's expanded partner access list catalysed US export controls

South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom is identified as the catalyst for US export restrictions on Anthropic models. The White House ordered Anthropic to cut off SK Telecom due to concerns over the carrier's potential ties to Chinese state interests.

The June 12, 2026 Commerce Department directive was triggered after Anthropic submitted its partner list for Project Glasswing, sharing Mythos 5 for cybersecurity research. Instead of the approved 111 partners, the list had grown to 160 entities, raising alarms in Washington that access control had failed.

Due to the order, Anthropic disabled Fable 5 and Mythos 5 globally. While US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick discussed a trusted partner certification at the G7, South Korean tech groups warned that losing access to top US models will significantly slow down their domestic AI development.