A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced a Chinese national to 20 years in prison for leading a hacking scheme that targeted BTS member Jungkook and South Korean business executives and stole more than 38 billion won ($27.2 million), according to Yonhap News.
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the man, identified by his surname Chun, on charges of fraud and violating South Korea’s Information Network Act.
The court said Chun targeted wealthy individuals and stole their assets, adding that victims suffered losses through no fault of their own.
It also said he had shown no genuine remorse for his crimes.
Chun was accused of collecting victims’ personal information as part of a criminal network that operated overseas, including in Thailand, between August 2023 and January 2025.
The group allegedly used the information to activate mobile phones in victims’ names and transfer assets from their accounts.
Investigators found that Jungkook and a business tycoon from a major South Korean conglomerate were among the targets.
The hacking group reportedly attempted to steal Jungkook’s shares in HYBE, the entertainment company that owns his agency, BigHit Music, worth about 8.4 billion won ($6 million).
However, HYBE took immediate action after detecting the attempted theft, preventing the group from causing financial losses for the K-pop star.
