Hyundai Group hit by Bitcoin bomb email as police probe copycat extortion
Police link Hyundai bomb threat to a wave of ransom demands against major South Korean companies.
Key Takeaways
- An email sent to Hyundai Group threatened to blow up its its Jongno-gu office.
- The threat actor demanded 13 Bitcoin worth over $1 million.
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South Korea’s Hyundai Group on Friday received a threatening email demanding 13 Bitcoin to stop a bomb from going off at its Jongno-gu building, according to recent reports from media outlets.
“If you do not give me 13 Bitcoin, I will blow up the Hyundai Group building at 11:30 AM,” the threat read. Bitcoin hovered around $87,000 at the time, putting the ransom at more than $1 million.
Following the threat, Hyundai Group cleared the building, and police sent in special forces, but no explosives were discovered. Authorities considered the chance of a real device low, later confirming the threat was a hoax.
The Hyundai threat comes amid a recent wave of bomb and violence threats targeting major South Korean corporations.
On Thursday, posts appeared on Kakao’s customer service bulletin board claiming explosives had been planted at Kakao’s Pangyo offices, Samsung Electronics’ Suwon headquarters, and Naver, along with demands for large cash payments.
On December 17, a similar bomb threat was posted via KT’s online application system, claiming explosives had been placed at KT’s Bundang office.
