South Korea is investigating a major cyberattack targeting its state-run diplomatic academy after officials disclosed that a significant amount of data may have been compromised, with authorities examining possible links to foreign state-backed hacking groups.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Park Il said preliminary findings suggest the breach exposed a substantial volume of data, although investigators are still assessing its full scope and the specific information affected.
Park said authorities have found no evidence that the compromised data has been misused. He added that investigators have yet to identify those responsible, but all possibilities remain under consideration, including the involvement of foreign state-backed hacking groups.
The ministry said the attackers exploited a previously unknown software flaw, known as a zero-day vulnerability, along with weaknesses in the system’s security configuration to infiltrate the Korea National Diplomatic Academy’s online learning platform.
Officials said the hackers gained access to one of the academy’s servers between April and May 2025 and remained undetected until February 2026, when suspicious activity was identified by a government agency, prompting authorities to block the intrusion.
The affected platform hosted training materials and course administration records, including participants’ names and user identification details. Officials said it remains unclear what information may have been accessed or extracted.
Local newspaper Dong-A Ilbo, citing government sources, reported that the personal information of about 6,000 current and former diplomats, along with officials seconded from other ministries, may have been compromised.
The report added that intelligence agencies are investigating whether the cyberattack was carried out by a hacking group linked to North Korea, as the database contained information relating to diplomats posted overseas.
Park said the Foreign Ministry is coordinating with relevant government agencies to establish the full scale of the cyberattack and bolster cybersecurity systems against future threats.
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