SEOUL: A Chinese alleged cybercrime ringleader, whose victims reportedly included BTS megastar Jungkook, was extradited from Thailand to South Korea on Wednesday over a hacking scheme that stole more than $25 million, Seoul’s justice ministry said.

The 40-year-old suspect is accused of leading a hacking organisation based overseas, including in Thailand, that infiltrated websites of budget mobile carriers and other firms between August 2023 and April 2025, according to the ministry’s statement.

The suspect was arrested in Bangkok in an Interpol-led operation and flown to South Korea’s Incheon airport on Wednesday in cooperation with Seoul’s National Police Agency, it said.

Using illegally obtained personal data, the group allegedly accessed victims’ financial and cryptocurrency accounts and withdrew large sums without authorisation.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2026