South Korea’s Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks

South Korea’s police have launched a full-scale investigation into the hacking attacks against commercial banks that led to a breach of customers’ personal information.


East Asia

South Korea’s Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks

South Korea’s police have launched a full-scale investigation into the hacking attacks against commercial banks that led to a breach of customers’ personal information. 

South Korea's Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech during the 78th Armed Forces Day at a military base in Gyeryong-City, South Korea, on Oct 1, 2026. (Photo: Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool via Reuters)

Read a summary of this article on FAST.

Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.

Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST

FAST

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday (Oct 6) that AI models are believed to have been used in some recent hacking incidents against banks and called for the country to develop cybersecurity methods suited to the AI era.

“In some hacking incidents, signs have emerged of AI being used, causing considerable public concern and anxiety,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting. “Please establish the circumstances swiftly and clearly, and concentrate personnel and resources on minimising the damage.”

South Korea’s police have launched a full-scale investigation into the hacking attacks against commercial banks that led to a breach of customers’ personal information, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.

Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and others had reported cyberattacks, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) said on Friday, while Yonhap reported that Hana Bank and Woori Bank had also suffered breaches.

Guess Word

Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time


Buzzword

Buzzword
Create words using the given letters


Mini Sudoku

Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser


Mini Crossword

Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge


Word Search

Word Search
Spot as many words as you can


Show More


Show Less

Authorities have not yet disclosed details on what kind of AI tools were used in the hacking incidents or the full scale of the breaches.

On Sunday, FSC Chairman Lee Eog-weon convened an emergency meeting with financial industry associations, regulators and executives from affected institutions, warning that the sector must respond with the highest level of vigilance.

In September, Australia said an OpenAI agent breached a government health data portal in June, gaining unauthorised access to files, in what could be the ‌first known instance of an AI agent hacking a government website.

An artificial intelligence research firm said last week that AI agents tried to hack into a Canadian government website, casting the effort as a failed hacking attempt, while Canada said there were ​no indications its systems were compromised.



Source: Reuters/ec

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Inbox

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Whatsapp

Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.

Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST

FAST

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About the Author

Easy WordPress Websites Builder: Versatile Demos for Blogs, News, eCommerce and More – One-Click Import, No Coding! 1000+ Ready-made Templates for Stunning Newspaper, Magazine, Blog, and Publishing Websites.

BlockSpare — News, Magazine and Blog Addons for (Gutenberg) Block Editor

Search the Archives

Access over the years of investigative journalism and breaking reports