South Korean hacking syndicate sentencing

A Chinese national, identified by the surname Jeon, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Seoul Central District Court for leading an international hacking syndicate. Operating out of Thailand, the group targeted high-net-worth individuals, including BTS member Jungkook and chairmen of major South Korean business groups.

Between August 2023 and early 2025, the syndicate hacked over 20 websites to steal personal information. They used this data to illegally open mobile phone accounts through low-cost carriers, enabling them to intercept authentication codes and access bank accounts, stock trading platforms, and cryptocurrency exchanges. While 16 victims suffered direct losses of approximately 38 billion won, the total scale of criminal activity is estimated to reach 64 billion won.

In the case of Jungkook, the group attempted to seize roughly 8.4 billion won worth of HYBE shares during his military service, though his agency intervened to prevent financial loss. The court noted that Jeon was extradited from Thailand and cited a lack of remorse as a factor in the sentencing, stating the crime “shook not only individual victims but also the very foundations of the public financial system.”