Seoul probes fake SNS accounts of Hyundai Motor advisor Sung Kim

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has launched an investigation into social networking service (SNS) accounts pretending to be Hyundai Motor Group’s advisor Sung Kim, some of which were allegedly used to extract personal information, according to sources on Monday.More than 14 Facebook accounts using Kim’s personal photos and profile have been found not to be created by Kim, who is slated to take over as the automotive group's president of strategic planning in 2025.Some of them claimed to be official accounts of the former US ambassador to South Korea in their self-introduction on Facebook, according to reports obtained by the police agency.”One account that impersonated advisor Kim reportedly attempted to extract personal information by sending a message to a Hyundai Motor company official but it failed,” said a source with knowledge of the matter on Monday.The alleged fake accounts impersonating the former US diplomat of Korean descent also was reported to investigative agencies in the US, where Facebook’s headquarters is located. The investigation comes as phishing crimes using impersonated accounts of influential entertainers, sports stars and investment experts are rising. A fake account claiming to be Samsung Group Chairman Jay Y. Lee at one point had over 450,000 followers. According to the National Police Agency, investment scams involving false impersonation amounted to 237.1 billion won ($165 million) in damage in 2,517 cases between September last year and February this year. Fake account creation to spread falsehood for the purpose of defaming someone is subject to imprisonment of up to seven years, a suspension of qualifications for up to 10 years, or a fine of up to 50 million won in South Korea.To strengthen the punishment for phishing crimes using fake SNS accounts, amendments to the Fraudulent Network Act are pending in parliament. “Online impersonation leads to related crimes, causing serious harm. Punishment for crimes using impersonated accounts needs to be strengthened,” said the source. By Yeonhee [email protected] Nicholson-Breen edited this article.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun (second from right), Hyundai Motor advisor Sung Kim (far right) (Source: Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto's Facebook) The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has launched an investigation into social networking service (SNS) accounts pretending to be Hyundai Motor Group’s advisor Sung Kim, some of which were allegedly used to extract personal information, according to sources on Monday. More than 14 Facebook accounts using Kim’s personal photos and profile have been found not to be created by Kim, who is slated to take over as the automotive group's president of strategic planning in 2025. Some of them claimed to be official accounts of the former US ambassador to South Korea in their self-introduction on Facebook, according to reports obtained by the police agency.

”One account that impersonated advisor Kim reportedly attempted to extract personal information by sending a message to a Hyundai Motor company official but it failed,” said a source with knowledge of the matter on Monday. The alleged fake accounts impersonating the former US diplomat of Korean descent also was reported to investigative agencies in the US, where Facebook’s headquarters is located. Sung Kim had served as the US Special Representative for North Korea Policy The investigation comes as phishing crimes using impersonated accounts of influential entertainers, sports stars and investment experts are rising.

A fake account claiming to be Samsung Group Chairman Jay Y. Lee at one point had over 450,000 followers. According to the National Police Agency, investment scams involving false impersonation amounted to 237.

1 billion won ($165 million) in damage in 2,517 cases between September last year and February this year. Fake account creation to spread falsehood for the purpose of defaming someone is subject to imprisonment of up to seven years, a suspension of qualifications for up to 10 years, or a fine of up to 50 million won in South Korea. To strengthen the punishment for phishing crimes using fake SNS accounts, amendments to the Fraudulent Network Act are pending in parliament.

“Online impersonation leads to related crimes, causing serious harm. Punishment for crimes using impersonated accounts needs to be strengthened,” said the source. Write to Yeonhee Kim at yhkim@hankyung.

com Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article..