Nate Communications

Nate Communications is the South Korean technology company behind Nate, a general-purpose web portal and online-services platform. The company traces its origins to Lycos Korea, which was established in 1999 as a joint venture between United States-based Lycos and South Korea’s Mirae Corporation. Its early business focused on internet access and online services, but the company later became part of the SK group and developed a broader portal strategy around the Nate brand. In 2002, SK Telecom acquired Lycos Korea and combined it with NetsGo, an SK cable-internet unit. The resulting company was named SK Communications. NetsGo had developed Nate, and the merger gave SK Communications a domestic portal brand that could compete in South Korea’s crowded search, communications, and community-services markets. Lycos Korea had struggled to establish a distinct position against stronger Korean competitors, so its services were progressively folded into Nate. The Korean Lycos website was redirected to Nate at the end of December 2002, effectively ending Lycos as a separate consumer brand in South Korea. The company expanded beyond search and access services through acquisitions. In 2003, it acquired Cyworld, a major South Korean social-networking service known for personal homepages, online communities, and virtual goods. Cyworld became one of the company’s most visible consumer properties and complemented Nate’s portal, messaging, and community functions. SK Communications also acquired Empas in October 2006 in an effort to strengthen its search position. The reported transaction included Konan Technology, Empas’s exclusive search-technology provider. Empas initially retained operational autonomy, but SK Communications later integrated its search services into Nate. The Empas domain was closed in 2008, and the Empas brand subsequently disappeared from the company’s consumer portfolio. That same year, SK Communications acquired the professional blogging service Egloos, further extending its presence in user-generated content. The company’s history also includes a major cybersecurity crisis. In July 2011, attackers obtained personal information associated with approximately 35 million Nate and Cyworld users after compromising the company’s systems. The incident became one of South Korea’s largest reported data breaches and generated extensive criticism of the company’s security controls and operational procedures. A Seoul court ruled in 2013 that SK Communications should compensate members of a class action brought by 2,737 identity-theft victims, while security-software providers named in the case were not found liable. According to the referenced Wikipedia account, the company was acquired by Samkoo in 2025 and renamed Nate Communications. The renamed organization remains associated with the Nate portal and with the company’s historical internet and telecommunications activities. Publicly available material in the supplied references does not establish a current leadership roster, detailed financial profile, or a separate corporate website for the renamed entity.

Nate Communications originated in 1999 as Lycos Korea, a 50–50 venture between Lycos of the United States and Mirae Corporation of South Korea. The company entered a Korean online market in which domestic portals and communications services were developing rapidly. Lycos Korea did not establish a sufficiently differentiated position, and its brand declined as local competitors gained strength. A major restructuring took place in 2002, when SK Telecom acquired Lycos Korea and merged it with NetsGo, its cable-internet business. The combined company became SK Communications. NetsGo was associated with Nate, a Korean web portal that offered a more suitable domestic identity for the enlarged business. Lycos Korea’s services were gradually incorporated into Nate, and the Korean Lycos website was redirected to Nate on December 27, 2002. This marked the practical end of Lycos as a separate Korean portal brand. SK Communications pursued a strategy of building an integrated portal and community ecosystem. In 2003, the company acquired Cyworld, then one of South Korea’s leading social-networking services. Cyworld’s profile pages, communities, social interactions, and virtual-economy features gave SK Communications a strong user-generated-content asset alongside Nate. The company later sought to improve its position in search by acquiring Empas in October 2006. The transaction was reported at approximately $82 million and included Konan Technology, which supplied Empas’s search technology. Empas initially continued with independent management and staff, but SK Communications subsequently integrated Empas search functionality into Nate. The Empas domain was closed in 2008 and the brand ceased to operate as a distinct consumer service. Also in 2008, SK Communications acquired Egloos, a professional blogging platform. This acquisition broadened its portfolio of community and publishing services. Other businesses associated with the company included Cymarket, Etoos, and SK i-media, although the supplied reference does not provide detailed operating histories for each. In July 2011, SK Communications experienced a severe security breach. Attackers gained access to personal data and account identifiers belonging to approximately 35 million Nate and Cyworld users. The attack was reportedly linked to the compromise of an update server during a routine supplier-related process, making the company’s software-update arrangements part of the security investigation. Subsequent commentary identified weaknesses in monitoring and endpoint security, including the use of a vulnerable general-purpose compression utility and an employee workstation that remained logged in. The incident led to litigation. In February 2013, a Seoul court ordered compensation of KRW 200,000 per identity-theft victim in a case brought by 2,737 plaintiffs. The court held SK Communications responsible, while security providers ESTsoft and Symantec were not held liable in that proceeding. The supplied reference states that SK Telecom held 85.9 percent of SK Communications before a later ownership change. In 2025, Samkoo acquired the company and it was renamed Nate Communications. The new name reflects the company’s best-known portal property, although the available material does not document a complete post-acquisition corporate structure, leadership team, financial results, or detailed current product roadmap.

• 2025

  Company is renamed Nate Communications

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The referenced account states that Samkoo acquired the company and renamed it Nate Communications.

• 2013

  Court awards damages to breach victims

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  A Seoul court orders compensation for identity-theft victims in a class action against SK Communications.

• 2011

  Nate and Cyworld data breach

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  A cyberattack compromises information associated with approximately 35 million users.

• 2008

  Empas search is integrated into Nate

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  Empas search services are incorporated into Nate, and the Empas domain is later shut down.

• 2008

  Egloos is acquired

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  SK Communications acquires Egloos, a professional blogging service.

• 2006

  Empas is acquired

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  SK Communications acquires rival search company Empas, including its search-technology provider Konan Technology.

• 2003

  Cyworld is acquired

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  SK Communications acquires Cyworld, a leading South Korean social-networking service.

• 2002

  SK Telecom acquires Lycos Korea and creates SK Communications

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  SK Telecom combines the acquired Lycos Korea with its NetsGo cable-internet unit, forming SK Communications.

• 2002

  Lycos Korea is folded into Nate

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The Korean Lycos domain is redirected to Nate on December 27, ending Lycos as a separate Korean portal brand.

• 1999

  Lycos Korea is established

  [1]Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org

  Lycos Korea begins as a 50–50 joint venture between Lycos of the United States and Mirae Corporation of South Korea.

A South Korean internet-services company centered on the Nate portal, combining web access, search, communications, social networking, and community content.

• Web portal

  Nate

  Nate is the company’s principal Korean web portal. It developed from the NetsGo business and became the destination into which Lycos Korea services were absorbed. The portal has been associated with search, internet access, communications, and community-oriented online services. It also became the integration point for search functions acquired through Empas.

• Social networking service

  Cyworld

  Cyworld was a major South Korean social-networking service acquired by SK Communications in 2003. Its service model centered on personal pages, online communities, social interaction, and digital goods. Cyworld expanded the company’s role beyond portal search and was operated alongside Nate as one of its most prominent consumer internet properties.

• Search portal

  Empas

  Empas was a Korean search and portal competitor acquired by SK Communications in 2006. The transaction also brought in Konan Technology, Empas’s exclusive search-technology provider. Empas initially retained independent management and employees, but its search capabilities were later integrated into Nate. The Empas domain was closed in 2008 and the standalone brand was discontinued.

• Blogging service · 2008

  Egloos

  Egloos was a professional blogging platform acquired by SK Communications in 2008. Its addition strengthened the company’s portfolio of user-generated-content and online publishing services. The supplied reference does not provide sufficient information about its later ownership or operating status.

• 2011

  Nate and Cyworld data breach

  Attackers accessed personal information and account identifiers connected to approximately 35 million Nate and Cyworld users. The incident exposed weaknesses in the company’s security monitoring and operational controls and became one of South Korea’s largest reported online breaches.

  Source

Read more

• 2025

  Acquisition by Samkoo and corporate renamingM&A

  Background

  The company underwent an ownership change after operating under the SK Communications name.

  Action taken

  Samkoo acquired the company, which was renamed Nate Communications.

  Aftermath

  The company’s corporate identity was aligned with its Nate portal brand. The supplied reference does not provide further details about the transaction.

  Source

• 2006

  Acquisition of EmpasM&A

  Background

  SK Communications sought to improve its position in South Korea’s highly competitive search market.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Empas and its associated search-technology relationship with Konan Technology.

  Aftermath

  Empas initially operated with management and workforce autonomy, but its search services were eventually incorporated into Nate and the Empas domain was closed.

  Reported acquisition value. USD 82 million (October 2006)

  Source

• 2002

  Consolidation of Lycos Korea under NateStrategy

  Background

  Lycos Korea had struggled to differentiate itself in the competitive South Korean portal market after its acquisition by SK Telecom.

  Action taken

  SK Communications redirected the Korean Lycos website to Nate and incorporated the Lycos operation into the Nate portal.

  Aftermath

  Lycos ceased to function as a separate Korean consumer brand, while Nate became the company’s principal portal identity.

  Source

1. 1Nate Communicationsen.wikipedia.org