Ringleader of Overseas '38 Billion Won Hacking' Ring Extradited from Thailand...Even Major Conglomerate Chairmen Targeted

Personal Information Stolen by Hacking Budget Mobile Phone Websites

The ringleader of an overseas hacking organization that stole more than 38 billion won from the accounts of domestic victims, including the chairmen of large corporations and famous celebrities, has been extradited to Korea from Thailand.

The Ministry of Justice announced that on the morning of May 13, a Chinese national known as Mr. A, who masterminded the hacking of multiple websites to steal personal information and infiltrated financial accounts and virtual asset accounts to embezzle large sums of money, was extradited from Bangkok, Thailand, to Incheon International Airport.

Mr. A is accused of organizing a hacking crime syndicate abroad, including in Thailand, and from August 2023 to April of last year, hacking the websites of budget mobile phone operators and others. He allegedly used the illegally collected personal information to withdraw victims' deposits without authorization. The investigation revealed that the targets of their crimes included numerous high-profile figures such as the chairmen of large corporations, famous celebrities, and CEOs of venture companies. The confirmed amount of damages exceeds 38 billion won.

Previously, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency arrested Mr. B, a 36-year-old Chinese national, in Thailand last May during a joint operation with Interpol, and also secured custody of Mr. A at the same location. Mr. B was extradited first last August and is currently on trial under detention.

The Ministry of Justice requested an emergency extradition arrest from the Thai authorities to secure custody of Mr. A and has been proceeding with criminal extradition trial procedures. Emergency extradition arrest is a treaty-based system that allows authorities to request the provisional detention of a criminal suspect before a formal extradition request is made. In particular, in July of last year, prosecutors and investigators were dispatched to Thailand to meet with officials from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of Thailand, and diplomatic efforts such as frequent video conferences were conducted, eventually leading to approval for extradition.

A Ministry of Justice official emphasized, "We will continue to closely cooperate with relevant agencies such as the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will rigorously pursue and respond to transnational crimes that threaten the safety of the public."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.