(LEAD) Police launch investigation into leak of presidential plane passenger information

Seoul police have initiated a formal investigation into the unauthorized release of personal data pertaining to 168 individuals, including President Lee Jae Myung, his spouse, and several government officials. The data breach was disclosed in June when a file named 'Passenger list (South Korea-Belgium)' was uploaded to a secure website, containing sensitive information such as names, job titles, birth dates, passport details, and expiration dates.

According to the Korean National Police Agency, the file contained records of those onboard President Lee's aircraft during his visits to Belgium, Italy, and France. The incident has prompted Cheong Wa Dae, the official residence of the President, to take corrective actions. The foreign ministry has also started its own investigation into the matter and forwarded the leak to the country's privacy watchdog.

The website responsible for the leak allows paid members and other users to scan files for malicious code, with the option to download uploaded files. The police suspect the leak occurred during the scanning process in June 2, and the file was accessible for approximately five months before being taken down.