South Korea court network hacking attempts hit 240,000 in 8 months, up 2.4x
Synopsis
South Korea's courts logged nearly 240,000 hacking attempts in just eight months — already more than any full year since 2021 and 2.4 times the year-ago pace. Simultaneously, major banks including Hana, KB Kookmin, and Shinhan have suffered customer data breaches, forcing the Financial Services Commission to call an emergency Sunday meeting. The twin crises point to a coordinated escalation against South Korea's critical infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
239,145 hacking attempts targeted South Korea's court network between January and August 2026 — up 2.4 times from 101,205 in the same period last year.
March 2026 was the worst single month, recording 48,263 intrusion attempts.
The 2026 figure has already exceeded every full-year total since at least 2021 , with four months remaining.
Hana Bank , KB Kookmin Bank , and Shinhan Bank have all suffered customer data breaches in recent weeks.
Hana Bank confirmed personal information of 89 customers — including registration numbers, names, addresses, and phone numbers — was leaked.
Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon held an emergency meeting with bank CEOs on Sunday, 4 October 2026 , after moving the session forward from Wednesday.
Hacking attempts targeting South Korea's court network surged to 239,145 cases between January and August 2026 — roughly 2.4 times the 101,205 attempts recorded in the same period last year, according to data from the National Court Administration. The sharp spike signals a significant escalation in cyberattacks against the country's judicial infrastructure.
Monthly Breakdown and Historical Trend
Among individual months, March recorded the highest number of intrusion attempts at 48,263 cases, followed by May with 39,915 and June with 34,083. The figures represent a dramatic reversal of a multi-year declining trend: annual totals stood at 142,514 in 2021, 126,212 in 2022, 114,070 in 2023, and 98,171 in 2024 — suggesting the threat had been receding before this year's sharp rebound.
The data was submitted to Rep. Kim Dong-ha of the ruling Democratic Party and made public on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
Financial Sector Also Under Siege
The court network figures emerged alongside a parallel crisis in South Korea's financial sector, where several major banks have suffered back-to-back data breaches in recent weeks. Affected institutions include Hana Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, and Shinhan Bank, with customer personal data — including resident registration numbers, names, addresses, and phone numbers — compromised in the attacks.
In the most recently confirmed breach, Hana Bank disclosed that personal information of 89 customers had been leaked in a hacking attack. The incident is the latest in a series of cyberattacks on South Korea's banking system that have collectively alarmed regulators.
Emergency Meeting Convened by Financial Regulator
Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Lee Eog-weon convened an emergency Sunday afternoon meeting with the chief executive officers of banks and financial firms affected by the breaches, according to reports. The meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was moved forward as the damage spread to additional institutions over the preceding days.
The FSC has also instructed all financial firms to conduct a comprehensive review of their computer security systems in the wake of the attacks. The emergency response underscores the scale of concern among South Korean authorities about the vulnerability of critical financial infrastructure.
Broader Context and What Comes Next
This comes amid a global rise in state-sponsored and criminal cyberattacks on judicial and financial systems, with South Korea — given its geopolitical position on the Korean Peninsula — frequently cited as a high-risk target. Notably, the court network's 2026 figure has already surpassed the full-year totals of every year since at least 2021, with four months of the calendar year still remaining.
Authorities are expected to announce enhanced cybersecurity protocols for both judicial and financial institutions in the coming weeks, as regulators and court administrators assess the full extent of the threat.
Point of View
While the country's top banks are simultaneously bleeding customer data. The confluence is notable — courts and banks represent the twin pillars of institutional trust, and attacking both in parallel maximises societal disruption. The FSC's decision to move its emergency meeting forward by three days suggests the regulator itself was caught off guard by the speed of escalation. What is missing from the public picture is attribution — whether this is state-sponsored activity, organised crime, or both — and without that clarity, any 'review of security systems' risks being a reactive patch rather than a structural fix.
NationPress
4 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hacking attempts targeted South Korea's court network in 2026?
Between January and August 2026, the court network recorded 239,145 hacking attempts — approximately 2.4 times the 101,205 attempts logged in the same period last year, according to National Court Administration data. The figure has already surpassed all full-year totals going back to at least 2021.
Which South Korean banks were affected by recent cyberattacks?
Hana Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, and Shinhan Bank have all suffered data breaches in recent weeks, with customer personal information — including resident registration numbers, names, addresses, and phone numbers — reportedly compromised. Hana Bank confirmed that data of 89 customers was leaked in the most recently disclosed incident.
What action has South Korea's financial regulator taken?
Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon convened an emergency meeting with the CEOs of affected banks and financial firms on Sunday, 4 October 2026, after moving the session forward from its originally planned Wednesday slot. The FSC has also instructed all financial institutions to review their computer security systems.
Why is the 2026 spike in court hacking attempts significant?
The 2026 figures represent a sharp reversal after four consecutive years of declining annual totals — from 142,514 in 2021 down to 98,171 in 2024. The jump to 239,145 attempts in just eight months suggests a new and more aggressive phase of targeted cyberattacks against South Korea's judicial infrastructure.
What personal data was leaked in the Hana Bank breach?
Hana Bank confirmed that the personal information of 89 customers was exposed in a hacking attack, including resident registration numbers, names, addresses, and phone numbers. The bank's disclosure came as part of a broader wave of cyberattacks hitting South Korea's financial sector.
