In brief
A leaked file on a security‑related website exposed names, passports, birth dates and other details of the president, his wife, cabinet ministers and journalists for a June trip to Belgium, Italy and France. Police suspect the document was uploaded during a malware scan and have opened an investigation, while the presidential office held an emergency meeting to assess the breach. Further details on the source and extent of the damage remain unclear.
Police in Seoul announced on Tuesday that they were launching a preliminary investigation into an online leak that exposed the personal information of 168 people, including President Lee Jae‑Myung, his wife Kim Hea‑Kyung and a number of cabinet ministers, according to Yonhap.
The file, titled "Passenger list (South Korea‑Belgium)", was posted on a paid, security‑related platform that scans files for malicious code. According to the Korean National Police Agency, the data included Korean and English names, affiliations, job titles, dates of birth, passport numbers and the issuance and expiration dates of passports.
Police said the document was probably uploaded during a malware scan of the original file and that it was made available to users of the platform, which permits paid members and other users to download uploaded files.
The file reportedly remained accessible for about five months after its upload on June 2, the day the president began his overseas trip, but it has since been removed and is no longer available.
The presidential office convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday, led by Chief of Staff Lim Kwang‑hyun, to address the breach. Lim described the leak as a serious incident that cannot be overlooked and called for an investigation to determine the extent of the damage and the identity of those responsible.
Cheong Wa Dae has taken responsive measures after it became aware of the leak and said it would work with relevant agencies to review the security management system for overseas tours and develop effective countermeasures.
Police have opened a preliminary investigation and are working with the foreign ministry and other agencies to assess the breach. Officials have not yet released details on how the file was compromised or whether any personal data has been misused.
What remains uncertain is the exact mechanism that allowed the file to be posted, whether the leak resulted from an internal mistake or a deliberate act, and what further steps will be taken to protect the personal data of those associated with the president.
