Seoul probes fake online accounts of Hyundai Motor advisor Sung Kim

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has launched an investigation into social media accounts pretending to be Hyundai Motor Group 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 to not belong to Kim, who is slated to take over as the automotive group's president of strategic planning in 2025.

Some of them claimed in their introductions to be the official accounts of the former US ambassador to South Korea, 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 were also reported to investigative agencies in the US, where Facebook's headquarters is located.

The investigation comes as phishing crimes using fake accounts of influential entertainers, sports stars and investment experts are on the rise. One fake account claiming to be Samsung Group Chairman Jay Y. Lee at one point had over 450,000 followers.

According to Korea's National Police Agency, investment scams involving false impersonation have led to 237.1 billion won ($165 million) in damages in 2,517 cases logged between September 2023 and February 2024.

In Korea, creation of a fake account to spread falsehoods intended to defame someone is subject to imprisonment of up to seven years, suspension of qualifications for up to 10 years, or a fine of up to 50 million won.

Amendments to the Fraudulent Network Act aimed at toughening the punishment for phishing crimes that use fake social media accounts are pending in parliament.

“Online impersonation leads to related crimes, causing serious harm. Punishments for crimes using impersonated accounts need to be strengthened,” said the source.

Write to Yeonhee Kim at yhkim@hankyung.com
Joel Levin edited this article.