Bitcoin Blackmail Against Hyundai Offices: 13 Bitcoins Demanded

South Korea’s leading industrial group Hyundai faced a major security alert due to cyber threats on December 19. Emails sent to the offices of Hyundai Group and Hyundai Motor Group in Seoul demanded a ransom of 13 Bitcoins. The emails warned that if the payment was not made, bomb attacks would be carried out.

This situation was quickly assessed by the South Korean police, and special operations teams along with bomb disposal experts conducted thorough searches of the offices. It was announced that no explosives or suspicious devices were found as a result of the checks. As a precautionary measure for employee safety, a brief evacuation was carried out, and the process was managed in a controlled manner.

It has been noted that the threats against Hyundai are not isolated incidents, as other major technology companies have also faced similar situations. Reports indicate that significant firms in the country, such as Samsung, KT, Kakao, and Naver, have received similar bomb threat messages. Authorities are investigating whether these threats are connected, considering the possibility that the same individual or group may be behind the incidents.

Police sources indicate that the use of Bitcoin in ransom demands aims to conceal the perpetrators' traces. As the investigation continues on multiple fronts, the South Korean police have assigned special teams to identify the perpetrators through digital traces and cryptocurrency transfers. Authorities emphasized that companies should be cautious of extortion-related messages and communicate quickly with official agencies.