Lee, first lady to get new passports after personal data leak

The foreign ministry said Tuesday it is arranging new passports for 168 people affected by an online leak, including President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, as police investigate how the data was exposed. The National Police Agency opened a preliminary investigation after passenger information linked to the presidential aircraft was found online. The ministry said it had the information removed and was checking for further exposure while reviewing computers and email accounts connected to the president’s overseas trip in June.

The exposed information reportedly included Korean and English names, affiliations, job titles, dates of birth, passport numbers, and passport issuance and expiration dates.

The file had reportedly been available on a paid security-related website since June 2 and remained accessible for months.

Those affected included Cabinet members, senior officials from Cheong Wa Dae and the foreign ministry, security personnel, and reporters traveling with the presidential delegation.

Investigators had not established how the breach occurred or identified those responsible.

The foreign ministry said it was conducting technical inspections of computers and email accounts used in connection with the president’s June overseas trip.

Published Nov 3, 2026 10:27 am KST

Updated Nov 3, 2026 11:18 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung leave the presidential plane at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in this June 19, 2025 file photo. Korea Times file

The foreign ministry said Tuesday it is taking steps to reissue passports for all 168 people affected by an online leak of sensitive personal information, including President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, as police investigate how the data was exposed.

“The foreign ministry is swiftly taking measures to ensure the smooth reissuance of passports for all affected individuals, including the president and first lady,” ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said during a briefing.

Police have opened a preliminary investigation into the leak, which involved personal information belonging to the presidential couple, Cabinet members, senior officials from Cheong Wa Dae and the foreign ministry, security personnel and reporters traveling with the presidential delegation.

The National Police Agency launched the investigation after passenger information and sensitive personal data related to the presidential aircraft were found posted online.

The foreign ministry said it requested an investigation by relevant authorities immediately after discovering the leak and is working with police and other agencies to determine how it occurred. It is also conducting a broader review, including technical inspections of computers and email accounts used in connection with the president’s overseas trip in June.

The exposed information reportedly contained Korean and English names, affiliations, job titles, dates of birth, passport numbers and passport issuance and expiration dates. The file had reportedly been available on a paid security-related website since June 2, before Lee departed for the trip, and remained accessible for months.

There is speculation that the leak may have involved an outside party, though investigators have yet to establish the circumstances surrounding the breach or identify those responsible.

The foreign ministry said it had taken steps to have the information removed from the website and was checking whether any other personal data had been exposed in an effort to prevent further damage.

外交部周二表示，正在为包括总统李在明和夫人金喜京在内的168名受网络泄露事件影响的人员安排新护照，同时警方正在调查数据泄露的原因。此前，与总统专机相关的乘客信息在网上被发现，韩国国家警察厅随即展开初步调查。外交部表示，已删除相关信息，并在审查与总统6月海外访问相关的电脑和电子邮件账户的同时，检查是否存在进一步泄露的情况。

据报道，泄露的信息包括韩文和英文姓名、所属机构、职位、出生日期、护照号码以及护照签发日期和到期日期。

据报道，该文件自 6 月 2 日起就已在一个付费安全相关网站上提供，并且数月内都可以访问。

受影响的人员包括内阁成员、青瓦台和外交部的高级官员、安保人员以及随总统代表团出访的记者。

调查人员尚未确定此次数据泄露是如何发生的，也没有找到责任人。

外交部表示，正在对总统6月份出访期间使用的电脑和电子邮件账户进行技术检查。

发布于2026年11月3日上午10:27（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年11月3日上午11:18（韩国标准时间）

这张摄于2025年6月19日的资料照片显示，韩国总统李在明和夫人金喜京在京畿道城南市首尔空军基地走下总统专机。（《韩国时报》资料照片）

外交部周二表示，正在采取措施为所有168名受敏感个人信息网络泄露事件影响的人员重新签发护照，其中包括总统李在明和第一夫人金喜京，同时警方正在调查数据泄露的原因。

外交部发言人朴斗顺在新闻发布会上表示：“外交部正在迅速采取措施，确保包括总统和第一夫人在内的所有受影响人员顺利重新签发护照。”

警方已对此次泄密事件展开初步调查，泄密事件涉及总统夫妇、内阁成员、青瓦台和外交部高级官员、安保人员以及随总统代表团出访的记者的个人信息。

国家警察厅在发现与总统专机相关的乘客信息和敏感个人数据被发布到网上后，展开了调查。

外交部表示，在发现泄密事件后，立即要求有关部门展开调查，并正与警方和其他机构合作，查明泄密原因。外交部还在进行更广泛的审查，包括对总统6月出访期间使用的电脑和电子邮件账户进行技术检查。

据报道，泄露的信息包含韩文和英文姓名、所属机构、职务、出生日期、护照号码以及护照签发和到期日期。据称，该文件自6月2日起就已在一个付费安全相关网站上提供，早于李在启程前往旅行之前，并且持续数月之久。

有猜测认为此次泄露事件可能涉及外部人员，但调查人员尚未查明泄露事件的具体情况，也未确定责任人。

外交部表示，已采取措施从网站上删除相关信息，并正在检查是否还有其他个人数据泄露，以防止造成进一步损害。