A man linked to a hacking operation that targeted BTS member Jungkook’s HYBE shares worth about 8.4 billion won has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On August 20, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced a Chinese national, identified only as “A,” to 20 years in prison after he was prosecuted on charges including fraud under Korea’s Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and violations of information network laws.
According to prosecutors, A organized a hacking group operating overseas, including in Thailand, and used illegally obtained personal information to access victims’ financial assets.
Investigators said the group opened unauthorized mobile phone accounts using victims’ identities and intercepted verification codes to gain access to bank accounts, stock accounts, and cryptocurrency platforms.
Jungkook, who was serving in the military at the time, was among those targeted. According to reports, HYBE shares belonging to him and valued at approximately 8.4 billion won were transferred without authorization.
However, Jungkook reportedly avoided an actual financial loss after his agency discovered the situation and took measures to stop the transactions.
In explaining the sentence, the court said, “Unlike ordinary voice phishing cases, the victims had their property taken while completely defenseless and without any fault of their own.”
The court described the case as a serious crime that affected not only individual victims but also confidence in South Korea’s financial system.
Authorities identified 16 victims who suffered actual losses totaling around 39 billion won. The overall amount connected to the scheme may have been higher when transactions that were stopped before completion are included.
Police arrested A in Thailand in May 2025 through cooperation with Interpol. He was extradited to South Korea in August 2025 and later detained and prosecuted.
The 20-year prison sentence marks a major development in the case, while Jungkook was ultimately reported to have avoided direct financial loss despite being targeted in the scheme.
