SK Telecom's stock fell 5.19% during intraday trading, reflecting investor concerns about the company's near-term financial performance.

The decline comes amid analyst expectations that increased marketing expenses likely pressured operating profit for the first quarter, despite a potential increase in 5G service subscribers. Market observers note that while earnings could align with consensus estimates, the profitability outlook appears constrained by higher costs.

Analysts from Meritz Securities highlighted these cost pressures in recent market commentary, pointing to the impact on operating margins even as the company potentially increases dividend payments in the coming years.