Police expand team investigating recent hacking of financial institutions

Police have bolstered the team investigating recent hacking attacks on financial institutions in South Korea, expanding the investigative unit from 28 to 43 members. The National Office of Investigation, which is part of the Korean National Police Agency, made the announcement on Friday. According to police, the reinforcements include specialists in digital forensics and international cooperation.

The National Office of Investigation stated that they are conducting a thorough investigation, securing relevant data, and analyzing the affected systems. They also emphasized their pursuit of international cooperation to block the servers used in the attacks.

The hacker attacks have resulted in data leaks at seven financial firms, including major commercial banks. Police formally opened an investigation on Tuesday in response to the breaches. The announcement of the team expansion comes amid questions about whether the case will be transferred to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA).

The SCIA, which began operations on October 2, is responsible for major crimes, including cybercrime, taking over from the now-disbanded prosecutors' office. Under the law governing the SCIA, police and other investigative bodies must immediately notify the agency when they deem a case to be of sufficient gravity.