SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean court sentenced a Chinese national to 20 years in prison Thursday for leading an overseas hacking ring that stole more than 38 billion won ($27.4 million) from wealthy victims, including BTS member Jungkook.
The Seoul Central District Court found the man, identified only by his surname Jeon, guilty of fraud and violating the Information and Communications Network Act.
Prosecutors said Jeon organized a hacking group that operated overseas, including in Thailand, from August 2023 to January 2025. The group targeted wealthy individuals, including entertainment figures and the head of a major South Korean business group.
The hackers used victims’ personal information to open mobile phone accounts under their names through low-cost carriers. They then used the accounts to gain access to bank and cryptocurrency accounts and steal assets.
The court said the victims lost their assets without fault and described the case as a serious crime that threatened the broader financial system.
Investigators estimated that the group targeted assets worth about 64 billion won, including transactions that authorities blocked before losses occurred.
In Jungkook’s case, the hackers targeted 8.4 billion won worth of shares in HYBE. His agency detected the breach and suspended the transactions, preventing a financial loss.
The court said Jeon showed little remorse and rejected his claim that another person was the actual ringleader because authorities could not verify that person’s identity.
