The Korean National Police Agency (NPA) announced on Tuesday that it has opened a preliminary investigation into the online leak of personal information belonging to 168 individuals, including President Lee Jae Myung, his wife, and several cabinet ministers. The alleged breach stemmed from a file titled "Passenger list (South Korea-Belgium)" that was posted on a paid, security‑related website on June 2, before Lee’s overseas tour of Belgium, Italy and France.
According to the NPA, the file contained the personal details of 168 people who were aboard the presidential aircraft during the June trip. Those included the president, first lady Kim Hea‑Kyung, government ministers, official staff from Cheong Wa Dae and the foreign ministry, members of the Presidential Security Service and journalists covering the visit. The document recorded each person’s name in both Korean and English, as well as their affiliation, job title, date of birth, passport number and passport issuance and expiration dates.
Police believe the file may have been uploaded to the platform during the process of a malware scan. The security service allows users to upload files or links for scanning and, for paid members, download the scanned version if it passes. The file remained accessible for about five months before being removed; it is no longer available on the site as of the latest update from the NPA.
In a separate development on the same day, officials at the presidential office held an emergency meeting to address the scandal. Lim Kwang‑hyun, the presidential chief of staff, presided over the session and described the leak as a serious incident that could not be overlooked. He called for an immediate investigation into the extent of the breach and the identity of any responsible parties. The meeting also pressed relevant government agencies to review security protocols for presidential overseas tours and to devise stronger countermeasures.
Cheong Wa Dae confirmed that it had taken responsive measures after becoming aware of the leak, and it has issued statements urging the NPA to investigate thoroughly. The foreign ministry and other pertinent agencies have also been requested to cooperate with the inquiry.
President Lee and Kim disembarked from the presidential plane at an air base in Brussels on June 9 after the flight from Seoul. Although the data breach was discovered after the aircraft’s departure, the list of passengers remained a key asset for the NPA’s investigation into the timing and method of the upload.
Experts have raised concerns about the implications of such a leak for the safety of high‑profile officials and the integrity of future diplomatic missions. The NPA’s investigation aims to determine whether the breach stemmed from an internal mishandling of confidential data or an external cyber‑attack, as well as whether additional protective measures are needed for official travel communications.
