Personal data of senior Cheong Wa Dae officials leaked in hack; police launch investigation

Personal data of prominent South Korean figures, including senior Cheong Wa Dae officials, has been leaked after hackers breached a domestic private authentication agency's server, police said Thursday. The Korean National Police Agency confirmed that hackers had compromised the server and that personal information belonging to key figures was found among the stolen data.

Police discovered the personal data while investigating the breach of the private authentication agency. The stolen information is believed to be limited to business card-level details — names, titles and contact information. The agency's National Investigation Headquarters has assigned the case to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency.

However, police said Cheong Wa Dae's own servers were not compromised.

Separately, police are investigating a series of cyberattacks by a state-backed hacking group that targeted server management companies for media outlets, pharmaceutical firms and hospitals.