Why did the Seoul court give Chun a 20-year prison sentence in the BTS Jungkook hacking case?

The court said Chun led a scheme that targeted wealthy people and stole their assets, causing losses of more than 38 billion won. It also said the victims were faultless and that Chun had not shown genuine remorse.

How did the hacking ring steal money from Jungkook and other victims?

Chun was accused of collecting personal information as part of an overseas criminal ring, activating mobile phones in victims’ names, and transferring assets from their accounts. The operation reportedly ran from August 2023 to January 2025.

What happened to Jungkook’s HYBE shares in the hacking case?

Sources said the group attempted to steal 8.4 billion won worth of Jungkook’s HYBE shares. BigHit Music acted quickly, and the losses were prevented.

Chinese national gets 20 years for hacking accounts of BTS' Jungkook, others

Listen

Summary

A Seoul court sentenced a Chinese national to 20 years in prison on Thursday for leading a hacking scheme that targeted BTS member Jungkook and South Korean business executives in Seoul. The Seoul Central District Court convicted the man, surnamed Chun, of fraud and violating the information network act in connection with theft of more than 38 billion won. The court said the victims were deprived of their assets despite bearing no fault and said Chun showed no genuine remorse.

Key Facts

The court said Chun targeted wealthy individuals and stole their assets.
Chun was charged with collecting personal information as part of an overseas criminal ring operating in Thailand from August 2023 to January 2025.
The scheme involved activating mobile phones in the victims’ names and transferring assets from their accounts.
Sources said the hacking group tried to steal 8.4 billion won worth of Jungkook’s shares in HYBE, but BigHit Music took immediate action to prevent losses.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 20, 2026 8:33 pm KST

Justice Ministry officials escort a Chinese national, suspected of being a ringleader of group that stole large sums by impersonating wealthy individuals, through Incheon International Airport, Aug. 22, 2025. Courtesy of Ministry of Justice

A Seoul court on Thursday sentenced a Chinese national to 20 years in prison for leading a hacking scheme targeting K-pop group BTS' member Jungkook and South Korean business executives.

The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence to the Chinese national, surnamed Chun, on charges of fraud and violating the information network act, in connection with the theft of more than 38 billion won ($27.2 million) from the victims.

"(Chun) targeted wealthy individuals and stole their assets," the court said. "The victims lost their assets despite bearing no fault, unlike in voice phishing scams."

The court added that Chun has not shown genuine remorse for his wrongdoing.

Chun was charged with collecting personal information as part of a criminal ring operating overseas, including in Thailand, from August 2023 to January 2025, activating mobile phones in the victims' names and transferring assets from their accounts.

The investigation showed the targets included Jungkook and a business tycoon of a major conglomerate.

Sources, however, said the hacking group attempted to steal 8.4 billion won worth of Jungkook's shares in HYBE, the parent company of his agency, BigHit Music, but the agency took immediate action to prevent losses.

Explore More