The Trump administration reportedly moved to impose export controls on Anthropic's advanced AI technology due to concerns over the company granting South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom access to its powerful Claude Mythos model, according to sources familiar with the situation. U.S. officials allegedly flagged SK Telecom's connections to China as a point of concern.
These worries appear to have escalated when Amazon later informed the White House about potential vulnerabilities in Fable 5, a highly secured version of Mythos released by Anthropic on June 9. Amazon researchers claimed that the system's safeguards could be bypassed to access Mythos' significant cyber capabilities. However, Anthropic and external cybersecurity experts have argued that such risks are not exclusive to Claude.
A person close to the administration indicated that this series of events led the White House to conclude it couldn't trust Anthropic to adequately protect its most cutting-edge AI. Consequently, on Friday, the Trump administration ordered Anthropic to revoke access to Mythos and Fable 5 for all non-U.S. nationals, including those residing in the United States.
Instead of restricting access based on nationality, which Anthropic deemed difficult to implement while ensuring privacy, the company opted to completely disable access to the models. Negotiations between the White House and Anthropic to bring Claude Mythos and Fable 5 back online have reportedly stalled.
While Anthropic declined to comment, SK Telecom and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Washington Post had previously reported that Trump administration officials were alerted to Mythos recipients including a "South Korean telecommunications company" they believed had ties to China, though the firm was not named. SK Telecom has since stated that "anonymous insider’s remarks in foreign media lack verified facts, and our company has no ties to China."
A source close to Anthropic suggested the company views SK Telecom's access and the identified vulnerabilities as distinct issues. This individual noted that the U.S. government's directive to restrict access to Claude Mythos and Fable 5 solely to U.S. nationals did not mention SK Telecom or China.
Claude Mythos, known for its proficiency in identifying software vulnerabilities, was initially made available to a select group of trusted organizations through Anthropic's Project Glasswing. SK Telecom, South Korea's largest wireless carrier, was among approximately 150 companies granted access to Mythos as Anthropic expanded the program after extensive collaboration with external experts and the U.S. government.
SK Telecom has made multiple investments in Anthropic, including a $100 million stake in 2023 that coincided with a partnership to develop AI tailored for the telecommunications sector. Other South Korean entities like Samsung Electronics and the Korea Internet & Security Agency also participated in Project Glasswing.
Shortly after Anthropic announced the latest expansion of Project Glasswing, the White House requested that Anthropic revoke SK Telecom's access to Mythos. According to sources, the company complied immediately, and at that time, the U.S. government did not threaten export controls.
Although SK Telecom itself may not have substantial operations in China, it is part of the larger SK Group conglomerate, whose affiliates have significant business interests in China across various sectors, including semiconductors and energy. In 2024, SK Telecom reported minimal revenue from China, primarily from investment activities, with only seven employees there.
However, SK Telecom's involvement in China's telecom industry dates back over two decades. In 2004, it formed a joint venture, UNISK, with China Unicom, a state-owned operator, to offer wireless internet and mobile content services. SK Telecom later invested $1 billion in convertible bonds issued by China Unicom's Hong Kong-listed unit, eventually acquiring a roughly 6.6 percent equity stake. The partnership began to dissolve years later, with SK Telecom selling its stake back to China Unicom in 2009 for approximately $1.3 billion, while maintaining a minor financial connection to the venture.
The first Trump administration had previously restricted U.S. investments in China Unicom in 2021, citing national security concerns and alleged links to China's military and intelligence sectors. More recently, in April, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission proposed barring U.S. telecom firms from interconnecting with China Unicom and other Chinese carriers, a move China Unicom warned could disrupt global communications.
