Arzen Rose Dulzura

Chinese national gets 20 years in prison over ₱1.6-B hacking scheme involving BTS Jungkook and more

Article (news)

Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

<p>A Chinese national has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in South Korea for leading a hacking operation that targeted BTS member Jungkook and other business tycoons.  </p><p>According to SBS News, the Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence on August 20 to the Chinese national, identified by his surname Jeon, over charges of “fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes and violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc.” </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/1/25/bts-v-and-jungkook-win-3-4-million-in-legal-case-against-a-youtube-channel-operator-1522"><strong><u>READ: BTS’ V and Jungkook win ₱3.4 million in legal case against a YouTube channel operator</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>The case also involved the theft of more than 38 billion won, or around ₱1.6 billion, from victims. </p><p>&quot;They targeted wealthy individuals to plunder their assets, and unlike typical voice phishing victims, the victims in this case lost their assets defenselessly without any fault of their own,” the court said as cited from SBS News.  </p><p>&quot;This is a grave crime that shakes not only individual victims but also the foundation of the public financial system.&quot; </p><p>The court also stated that Jeon failed to confirm the existence of the person he claimed to be the actual mastermind, making it difficult to view his remorse, which led to his sentence.  </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:660px;display:block" width="660"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17874541580021787454332394.png" style="width:660px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="660"/><span class="fr-inner">The extradited Chinese national escorted by Justice ministry officials in Incheon International Airport on August 22, 2025. Courtesy of Ministry of Justice | The Korea Times</span></span></span> </div><p>Investigators found that Jeon was part of an overseas criminal group that operated from August 2023 to January 2025, including in Thailand. </p><p>The group was said to obtain the personal information of its targets to activate their mobile phones and then transfer assets into the group’s accounts.  </p><p>Among those targeted was Jungkook, as well as business tycoons ranked within the top 30 business groups in the country. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/3/27/bts-label-bighit-music-takes-legal-action-against-malicious-attacks-privacy-violations-1957"><strong><u>READ: BTS label BigHit Music takes legal action to protect group from malicious attacks and privacy violations</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>The targets included eight corporate chairmen, chief executive officers and presidents, one business executive, three celebrities and influencers, and three cryptocurrency investors. </p><p>In May 2025, South Korean Police cooperated with Interpol to apprehend the Chinese national in Thailand.  </p><p>He was then brought to South Korea by August 2025 through cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency and was indicted while detained in September of the same year. </p><p>According to sources as cited by The Korea Times, the hacking group attempted to take 8.4 billion won, or more than ₱373 million, worth of Jungkook’s shares in HYBE, the parent company of his agency BigHit Music. </p><p>However, BigHit Music reportedly acted quickly and prevented the attempted theft from resulting in losses for the BTS member. </p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZUig00mHQJ/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=728&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A8863883.300000072%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="882" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>The recent case is another example of the legal threats that BigHit Music has addressed in its efforts to protect BTS members. </p><p>In March, the agency announced that several individuals had already faced legal consequences over malicious attacks, defamation, and violations of the artists’ privacy. </p><p>“Multiple defendants have been found guilty of insult and defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, and each has been sentenced to a fine,” BigHit Music said in a statement on Weverse. </p><p>The agency also warned against spreading false claims about the members, stressing that “using defamatory or insulting language against our artists and creating and spreading rumors based on false facts are all acts that infringe upon the rights of artists.” </p><p>BigHit Music has also raised concerns over stalking and privacy violations involving the BTS members, particularly incidents occurring near their residences. </p><p>The agency said it has established round-the-clock surveillance and systems for immediately reporting such incidents to authorities. </p><p>“Even if a stalking incident is a one-time occurrence, the perpetrator may be punished under current laws for violating the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking and for trespassing,” the agency said. </p><p>It also revealed that a repeat offender had already been arrested and brought to trial, adding that it would pursue all necessary measures to ensure serious punishment. </p><p>Meanwhile, Jungkook and fellow BTS member V have also previously secured a legal victory against a YouTube channel accused of spreading false information about them. </p><p>In January, the Seoul Western District Court’s Civil Appeals Division ordered the operator of YouTube channel named Taldeok Sooyongso to pay a combined 86 million won, or around ₱3.4 million, in damages over videos found to be defamatory toward the two BTS members. </p>

<p>A Chinese national has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in South Korea for leading a hacking scheme that targeted wealthy individuals, including BTS member Jungkook. </p>

A Chinese national has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in South Korea for leading a hacking scheme that targeted wealthy individuals, including BTS member Jungkook.