SEOUL: A suspected leader of a hacking ring accused of stealing more than 38 billion won (US$25 million) from victims’ bank and cryptocurrency accounts was extradited to South Korea from Bangkok on Wednesday (May 13), the Justice Ministry said.
The 40-year-old Chinese national is accused of forming a criminal ring in Thailand and hacking into multiple websites, including those of budget mobile carriers, between August 2023 and April 2025 to obtain the personal information of potential victims.
He and his group allegedly used the information to withdraw large sums from South Korean bank accounts and break into cryptocurrency accounts.
Confirmed victims include the chairman of a major conglomerate, the head of a venture company and BTS member Jungkook.
The Justice Ministry requested his provisional arrest for extradition in May 2025, a treaty-based procedure used to secure a suspect’s custody before a formal extradition request is filed.
In August 2025, the ministry formally requested his extradition from Thai authorities. He was ultimately sent to South Korea following extradition proceedings in Thailand and approval from Thai authorities.
“To ensure swift extradition of the suspect, we dispatched prosecutors and investigators in July last year to meet with officials from Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General and police authorities,” the ministry said.
“We also maintained close coordination with Thai prosecutors through regular video conferences.”
The ministry said it also coordinated with the National Police Agency, as South Korea’s central authority for international criminal cooperation, to carry out a joint Interpol operation.
“Through the operation, another accomplice, a Chinese national in his 30s, was arrested, and the suspect was also secured at the scene,” the ministry said.
The accomplice was extradited to South Korea from Thailand in August. He was arrested and indicted in September and is currently standing trial.
“We will continue to work closely with relevant agencies, including the National Police Agency and the Foreign Ministry, to track down and sternly respond to transnational crimes that threaten public safety, including hacking and online fraud,” a Justice Ministry official said. - The Korea Herald/ANN
