On August 22, the Ministry of Justice announced that a Chinese national, identified only as Mr. A, had been extradited from Bangkok, Thailand to Incheon International Airport with the cooperation of Interpol and the Seoul Metropolitan Police. Mr. A had entered Thailand in April, and Korean authorities secured his arrest within two weeks after filing an emergency extradition request.
According to the investigation, Mr. A masterminded a hacking ring that operated across Thailand and other countries, breaching websites—including telecom services—to steal vast amounts of personal data. Using this information, the syndicate created mobile phone accounts under victims’ names, enabling access to financial institutions and virtual asset platforms. The hackers are believed to have stolen over ₩38 billion KRW (approximately $27.3 million USD).
One of the highest-profile victims was Jungkook of BTS. Shortly after his military enlistment in January 2024, the hackers compromised his securities account, transferring 33,500 shares of HYBE stock worth ₩8.4 billion KRW (approx. $6.1 million USD). Of that, 500 shares—valued at ₩126 million KRW—were sold to a third party.
Thanks to swift action by BIGHIT MUSIC, the suspicious activity was identified early, and remaining shares were frozen before further losses occurred. Jungkook later filed a civil lawsuit against the buyer of the stolen shares. In a ruling by the Seoul Western District Court, the court found the stock transfer invalid, affirming Jungkook was a victim of identity theft and ordering the return of all stolen shares.
The hacker group’s victims reportedly include chaebol chairmen and venture company CEOs, making this one of the most high-profile financial crimes involving celebrities and top-tier business figures in recent years. With Mr. A now in South Korea, authorities are expected to pursue additional charges and further investigation into the full scope of the hacking operation.
Sources: Netizenbuzz
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