Financial regulator reports surge in Korean finance data leaks

South Korea's Financial Services Commission disclosed that the financial industry has experienced a sharp rise in data‑leak incidents over the past month.

From a total of 37 financial institutions, more than 470,000 personal data records have been reported as compromised, with an estimated financial loss of roughly 1 billion won (about US$745,000).

Since the first breach was identified on September 30, regulators have recorded 40 separate leak events across banking, investment and insurance firms, including four commercial banks, five securities investment companies, three insurance providers and five savings banks.

The latest incident involving Mirae Asset Securities, which exposed the data of around 39,000 clients and employees, adds to this growing list and underscores the need for stronger cyber‑security measures in the sector.

Authorities continue to press institutions to improve data‑protection protocols and have urged affected companies to cooperate fully with ongoing investigations.