South Korean president calls for thorough probe into bank hacking attacks

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday called for a thorough investigation into a series of hacking attacks at major banks and other financial institutions that led to data leaks, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

The country has recently witnessed hacking attacks targeting Hana Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, and Shinhan Bank, compromising customer information.

Shinhan Bank said Thursday that personal information of about 25,000 customers, including their names, phone numbers, and annual incomes, had been leaked.

According to Yonhap sources, hackers used advanced artificial intelligence tools in that attack.

Hana Bank, Woori Bank, and NH Nonghyup Bank were also targeted in similar hacking attempts.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a statement that Lee "instructed authorities to take the matter seriously, conduct a thorough investigation, and spare no effort in coming up with measures to address the issue."

Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon and Lee Chan-jin, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, also convened for an emergency meeting to discuss the hackings with the heads of the affected firms.

"We have detected multiple security breaches across various sectors in a short span of time, not only at major commercial banks but also at savings banks and specialized credit finance firms," the FSC chief said at the meeting.

He said that while no sensitive information that could be used for unauthorized payments appeared to have been compromised, he urged the financial sector to maintain the "highest level of vigilance," warning that the leaked information could still be exploited for voice phishing or other scams.

He also did not rule out the possibility that AI tools were used in the hacking attacks.