South Korea's President Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks affecting 68,000+ people; police investigate
On Oct 6, 2026 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung told a cabinet meeting that there were "signs" AI models had been used in recent hacks of major banks (Shinhan, KB Kookmin, Hana, Woori), which affected more than 68,000 people. Police opened an investigation. No AI model or vendor has been named, and the AI involvement is not confirmed.
Key facts
- Lee: 'AI can make (hacking) easy for even those without special skills'; he called for AI-era cybersecurity methods (Reuters)
- Banks reporting attacks or breaches: Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank; >68,000 people affected (Financial Services Commission)
- NYT: officials are probing whether AI agents were used
- Unverified: which AI system, if any, was used
What happened
At a cabinet meeting on October 6, 2026 (Korean time), President Lee Jae Myung said that signs had emerged of AI being used in some recent hacks of South Korean banks. Police opened an investigation at his urging. The government has not named a model or published technical evidence.
Why it matters
It is one of the first times a head of state has publicly linked a wave of attacks on financial institutions to AI models.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06: created
Sources (2)
- pressReuters via US News: South Korea's Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks
- pressTechXplore (AFP): South Korea warns of possible AI use in banking hacks
id: 2026-10-06-south-korea-ai-bank-hacks · updated 2026-10-06 · open in the interactive timeline