20-Year Sentence for Hacking Ringleader Targeting BTS Jungkook

• •A Chinese national was sentenced to 20 years for leading a hacking scheme targeting wealthy individuals.
• •The hacking operation stole over 38 billion won ($27.2 million) using personal information from victims.
• •Jungkook's attempted theft of 8.4 billion won in HYBE shares was prevented by swift action from his agency.

A Chinese man, identified by the surname Jeon, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Seoul Central District Court for leading a hacking operation that targeted BTS member Jungkook and other wealthy South Koreans. The court found Jeon guilty of fraud and violations of South Korea’s information network laws, linking the operation to over 38 billion won ($27.2 million) in stolen assets. The hacking group, active from August 2023 to January 2025, used personal information obtained through website attacks to open mobile phone accounts in victims' names, which were then used to access financial and cryptocurrency accounts. Jungkook was specifically targeted for an attempted theft of 8.4 billion won ($6 million) worth of HYBE shares, but the theft was thwarted by his agency and financial institutions. The investigation led to the arrest of 16 members of the organization, with Jeon being extradited from Thailand to South Korea in August 2025.