For makers and artists relying on cutting-edge models like Claude Mythos, the landscape has just shifted dramatically. The US government has now ordered a total revocation of access for all foreign nationals, effectively cutting off a vital tool for international developers and creators. This decision follows a chain of events where trust eroded between Washington, Anthropic, and South Korean partners, raising serious questions about who gets to wield powerful generative AI.
The Spark: SK Telecom and National Security Fears
Initial friction arose when the Trump administration discovered that Anthropic had granted access to its most advanced technology to SK Telecom, a major South Korean carrier. Officials expressed alarm over alleged connections between the Korean firm and China. While SK Telecom has denied these links to the Chinese state, noting that their own operations there are minimal, the broader SK Group conglomerate maintains significant business interests in the region. Specifically, SK Telecom reported generating just $1.9 million in revenue from China in 2024, mostly from investments, yet its historical footprint dates back decades.
The Catalyst: Amazon’s Security Findings
Tensions escalated further when Amazon researchers flagged vulnerabilities in Fable 5, a highly restricted version of Mythos released to the public on June 9. They claimed it was possible to bypass certain guardrails and access the model’s formidable cyber capabilities. While Anthropic and independent security experts argue these risks are not unique to Claude, the White House used this intelligence as leverage. A source close to the administration stated that these combined issues-SK Telecom’s access and the security gaps-led officials to conclude they could not trust Anthropic to safeguard the technology properly.
From Partial Block to Total Shutdown
Initially, the government asked Anthropic to revoke SK Telecom’s specific access. The company complied immediately. However, the pressure continued. On Friday, the administration issued a broader order requiring Anthropic to disable access to both Mythos and Fable 5 for anyone outside the US, including immigrants residing within the country. Instead of implementing a complex nationality-based gate that could compromise user privacy, Anthropic opted for a complete shutdown of the models.
The History of SK Telecom’s Ties
SK Telecom’s relationship with China is not new. In 2004, it formed a joint venture with state-owned China Unicom called UNISK to offer wireless internet and mobile content. Later, in 2006, SK Telecom invested $1 billion in convertible bonds, eventually holding a roughly 6.6 percent equity stake. This partnership began unwinding in 2009, when SK sold its stake back for approximately $1.3 billion, though a small financial interest remains listed in their 2025 SEC filings. Meanwhile, regulatory scrutiny has tightened; the first Trump administration restricted US investment in China Unicom in 2021, and this year, the FCC proposed barring US telecom firms from interconnecting with the Chinese carrier.
The Current Standoff
Negotiations have been ongoing for days regarding the potential return of Mythos and Fable 5, but a resolution is not in sight. Anthropic has declined to comment on the situation, while the White House and SK Telecom have not responded to requests for clarification. The administration’s demand letter, which insists access be restricted solely to US nationals, notably does not explicitly reference the Korean company or China in its text, suggesting the decision was driven by a broader loss of confidence in the safeguarding process.
Key takeaways
- Access to Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable 5 models has been completely disabled for all non-US nationals, including immigrants, following a directive from the Trump administration.
- The ban stems from a combination of concerns regarding SK Telecom’s historical ties to China and security vulnerabilities identified by Amazon researchers in the Fable 5 model.
- Anthropic chose to implement a total shutdown of the models rather than a nationality-based filter, citing the difficulty of preserving privacy while enforcing such restrictions.
- Despite SK Telecom’s denial of direct Chinese state ties and their minimal current revenue from the region, their long-standing joint ventures and equity stakes in China Unicom triggered national security alarms.
