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SOUTH Korean President Lee Jae Myung has directed security agencies to urgently overhaul national cyber defences after sophisticated artificial intelligence models were implicated in a series of major cyberattacks on the country's leading commercial banks.
South Korea's police and financial regulators have launched a full-scale investigation into a series of cyber breaches targeting major commercial banks that resulted in the compromise of private customer data, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
Addressing a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Lee emphasised the urgent requirement for modernised defensive measures capable of neutralising emerging AI-driven threats.
In some hacking incidents, signs have emerged of AI being used, causing considerable public concern and anxiety, Lee said.
The Financial Services Commission confirmed that top institutions including Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank, and Woori Bank reported unauthorised system intrusions. Financial authorities have not yet specified the exact nature of the artificial intelligence tools employed or the total extent of the data compromised.
Following the breaches, Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon convened an emergency assembly with regulatory bodies and financial executives, warning that the sector must operate under maximum vigilance.
The South Korean breach follows recent international reports of AI-assisted cyber intrusions, including an incident in Australia where an artificial intelligence agent gained unauthorized access to a government health portal in June. - October 6, 2026