Police Launch Preliminary Probe Into Leak of Air Force One Passenger Data, Including President Lee and Wife

Air Force One Passengers' Passport Numbers and Other Information Exposed
Personal Information of 168 Passengers Exposed for About Five Months
Focus on How the File Was Posted on a Malware-Scanning Website

Police have launched a preliminary investigation into the online leak of personal information belonging to 168 people who were aboard Air Force One, including President Lee Jae-myung and his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, as well as members of the State Council.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung wave to well-wishers from Air Force One. Yonhap News.

The Korean National Police Agency said on Nov. 3 that it had begun a preliminary investigation into the leak of personal information belonging to passengers aboard Air Force One, the presidential aircraft.

The information was exposed on a website that scans files and internet addresses for malware. Paid members and others are reportedly able to download uploaded files. There are concerns that personal information may have been exposed while files were being uploaded for security checks. However, the specific circumstances of the posting have not been confirmed.

The file posted on the website was titled "Passenger List (Republic of Korea-Belgium)." It reportedly contained the Korean and English names, affiliations and positions, dates of birth, passport numbers, and passport issue and expiration dates of Blue House and Foreign Ministry staff, Presidential Security Service agents, and journalists covering the Blue House who traveled aboard Air Force One during a European tour of Belgium, Italy, France, and other countries last June. The file was reportedly exposed from June 2, before the tour, and access to it has since been blocked.

The Blue House said the previous day, "After becoming aware of the reported information in advance, we took response measures," adding that the Foreign Ministry and other agencies would take additional action. The Foreign Ministry, which is responsible for the overall management of Air Force One, also said it was treating the matter seriously and would investigate the circumstances before taking necessary measures.

A Korean National Police Agency official said, "We are examining the circumstances of the leak with all possibilities in mind."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.