A Chinese national has been sentenced to 20 years in a South Korean prison for masterminding an international hacking ring that stole over $27 million from wealthy victims, including BTS member Jung Kook and top business executives.
The Seoul Central District Court convicted the individual, identified as Chun, on charges of fraud and violations of South Korea’s Information Network Act.
The elaborate process took place between August 2023 and January 2025, where the gang would gather private information and activate mobiles in their victims’ names to transfer money illegally from their accounts.
According to court papers, the hacking process involved an attempt by the hackers to snatch away 8.4 billion won ($6 million) worth of Jung Kook’s stock in HYBE, which is the parent firm of his agency, BigHit Music. But the quick action by the agency saved him from any financial loss.
This well-organized scam occurred between August 2023 and January 2025, during which time the criminals obtained personal information and activated the phones of the victims in order to move money out of their bank accounts illegally.
According to the court documents, the cybercriminals tried to steal 8.4 billion won ($6 million) worth of Jung Kook’s shares in HYBE, the parent company of his agency, BigHit Music. But the quick action taken by the agency saved the K-pop star from being financially harmed.
The court said in its ruling: “The victims lost their assets despite bearing no fault, unlike in voice phishing scams,” emphasising that the targets were blameless in the crimes committed against them.
Chun showed no signs of remorse about what he did to not only entertainment stars but also leaders of conglomerates.
The criminal gang carried out their operation across various nations, among others Thailand and South Korea. It is estimated that the gang robbed their victims in the amount of 38 billion won ($27.2 million).
Such a harsh punishment was delivered by the court in order to make a statement on cybercrime against influential people. More members of the gang are being sought, although Chun was considered a ringleader of the group.
2026-08-23 01:45:00
