South Korean police bust generative AI hacking ring; Japan hit by breaches

2026-10-27 · Cybersecurity · South Korea · Japan

South Korean police broke up a hacking ring that used generative AI, NHK reported, in one of the first such cases in the region. Separately, Japan's government held an urgent cybersecurity meeting after a cyberattack on internet provider GMO Internet Group that threatened customers' computers; the company asked the government to act, and one provider said all customers would receive 5,000 yen as an initial gesture of good faith. The incidents add to a wave of data breaches in the region, including at South Korea's KB Kookmin Bank, and come as Australia's signals agency warned that AI-enabled attackers will make outages more common.

Why it matters：AI is lowering the cost of cyberattacks, and governments are being forced to respond in real time as breaches hit banks and infrastructure.

Key points

• NHK reported the South Korean police action against a generative-AI hacking ring.
• Japan's government held an emergency meeting after the GMO Internet attack.
• One Japanese firm offered 5,000 yen to all affected customers.

Sources (original reporting)

• NHK
• Nikkei Asia
• The Japan Times
• The Straits Times

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