Mastermind Behind BTS Jungkook Hacking Scandal Arrested and Detained

The ringleader of a hacking organization accused of stealing assets from BTS member Jungkook has been formally arrested and detained.

On the 24th, Judge Jo Young-min of the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for a Chinese national, identified as A, following a pre-trial detention hearing. The judge cited concerns over potential destruction of evidence and risk of flight.

A is suspected of hacking into the websites of South Korean mobile carriers and other companies between August 2023 and January last year, illegally collecting personal information and stealing assets. The charges include violations of the Information and Communications Network Act and the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.



The main targets of A’s hacking operation reportedly included BTS’s Jungkook, who was serving in the military at the time, as well as prominent business figures who were incarcerated. Executives from domestic virtual asset and venture companies, along with the heads of top 30 conglomerates in Korea, were also said to be on the list of victims.

In particular, this hacking group attempted to steal Jungkook’s assets in January 2024, while he was undergoing basic military training. Without Jungkook’s consent, a total of 33,500 HYBE shares were transferred to a newly created unauthorized account. The perpetrator allegedly used a false securities account in Jungkook’s name to attempt the theft of shares valued at KRW 8.4 billion (approx. $6.1 million USD), and even tried to profit by selling 500 shares (worth KRW 126 million, approx. $92,000 USD) to a third party.

Meanwhile, police and the Ministry of Justice received intelligence that A had entered Thailand in April this year. Authorities apprehended A locally and forcibly extradited the suspect to Incheon Airport on the 22nd.

Photo Credit: Xportsnews

This article is a translated version of the original Korean article published by Xportsnews, originally written by Kim Yeeun. This article was translated from Korean using AI-assisted tools and human review to deliver an accurate and culturally appropriate version for international readers.