In brief
A file containing the names, passport details and other personal data of 168 people, including President Lee Jae‑Myung, his wife and cabinet officials, was posted on a security‑scan website, prompting a preliminary police investigation and an emergency meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. The incident has led to calls for enhanced security and passport re‑issuance, while authorities maintain the breach is not a hacking event.
On November 2, the Korean National Police Agency announced a preliminary investigation into an online leak that exposed the personal data of 168 individuals, including President Lee Jae Myung and his wife, who travelled with the presidential entourage in June to Belgium, Italy and France.
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. The platform, whose users could download uploaded files, reportedly made the data accessible for roughly five months before it was removed.
In a separate Yonhap report from the same day, the presidential office held an emergency meeting in response to the same leak. The meeting, chaired by chief of staff Lim Kwang‑hyun, was called after news surfaced that the file had been made publicly available in June. Lim characterised the incident as a serious security lapse and urged a thorough investigation and review of the security protocols governing presidential overseas tours.
While the police have opened a preliminary probe, Lim Kwang‑hyun called for an investigation to determine the responsible party and the extent of damage. He also requested that relevant agencies examine the management system for presidential trips and devise countermeasures, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Park Doo‑soon told a press briefing that the ministry was conducting a comprehensive technical inspection of computers and email accounts linked to the June trip. Park said the incident was being treated as a "leak" rather than hacking, and that the ministry had removed the data from the website and was checking for additional breaches. He added that passports for all affected individuals, including the president and the first lady, would be reissued.
According to Yonhap, the leaked file listed names in both Korean and English, as well as affiliations, job titles, dates of birth, passport numbers and passport issuance and expiration dates. The individuals catalogued included the first lady, the then‑presidential policy chief Kim Yong‑beom, National Security Adviser Wi Sung‑lac, various ministers, presidential officials and journalists covering Cheong Wa Dae.
The leak came after President Lee’s June trip, during which he and his entourage arrived at an air base in Brussels on June 9. Cheong Wa Dae stated that responsive measures had been taken following notification of the leak, and that other agencies would continue to take action.
The incident has intensified scrutiny over the handling of classified documents related to presidential overseas tours. While police suspect that the file was uploaded during a malware scan, officials have not yet identified a clear motive or source for the leak.
The investigators’ focus remains on determining the breach’s origin, assessing potential harm to the individuals named and ensuring such information is secured against future occurrences.
