Jungkook Victim of Financial Hack, Mastermind Arrested

Big Hit Music revealed that BTS member Jungkook was subjected to a massive financial hack in early 2024, shortly after his enlistment. Authorities have now confirmed that the mastermind has been arrested.

The Ministry of Justice announced on the morning of the 22nd that the leader of the hacking gang, identified as “A” (34), who carried out the hack, was extradited to Incheon International Airport from Bangkok, Thailand.

Mr. A is accused of hacking a telecommunications company website last year, stealing personal information from wealthy and famous Koreans, and stealing a total of 38 billion won (approximately 30 million US dollars).

The hacker organized a criminal hacking group abroad, including in Thailand. From August 2023 to January 2024, he hacked into the websites of mobile phone companies and other websites, illegally collecting personal information to open mobile phone accounts in the names of victims.

After opening mobile phone accounts in the names of these individuals, Mr. A transferred assets, including deposits, without authorization from financial and virtual asset accounts.

BTS member Jungkook was also among the victims. In January of last year, shortly after his enlistment, Jungkook was subjected to an unauthorized attempt to transfer 33,500 HYBE shares, valued at roughly $8.4 million, under Jungkook’s name”

Fortunately, his agency immediately halted the payments, preventing him from incurring any actual losses. However, fans expressed shock that he was targeted even while serving in the military.

The Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Interpol, was tracking Mr. A’s whereabouts when it received intelligence that he had entered Thailand in April of this year. It immediately filed an urgent detention request for his extradition to Thai authorities, asking Thai authorities to prioritize his detention.

The Ministry of Justice contacted Thai authorities and sent a delegation of prosecutors and investigators to Thailand in July. The delegation met with Thai prosecutors and police officials to discuss the mechanism and timing of his extradition. After submitting an expedited extradition request, Mr. A was returned to Korea.

The Ministry of Justice announced: “This extradition represents a successful response to transnational crime, enabling us to swiftly apprehend and extradite the leader of a cybercrime organization that has caused significant harm to the public, through close cooperation with relevant domestic and international agencies.”

SOURCE