South Korea Seeks Interpol’s Help in Arresting Cyber-Criminal Gang Leaders
South Korea has reached out to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for assistance in apprehending two foreign nationals believed to be leaders of a cyber-criminal gang.
These individuals are suspected of orchestrating multiple cyber-attacks and a significant extortion scheme that targeted victims in both South Korea and the United States.
In a recent development, South Korea has formally requested Interpol to issue a “Red Notice” for the suspects, with the aim of extraditing them to face prosecution in the country.
A Red Notice is a powerful tool utilized by Interpol to seek the location and arrest of individuals wanted by a legal jurisdiction or international tribunal for extradition.
While it does not serve as an arrest warrant, a Red Notice prompts law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and temporarily arrest the individuals pending further legal actions.
Although the identities of the two suspects have not been disclosed, reports suggest that one of them is a Ukrainian national who was apprehended by Ukrainian authorities in a coordinated raid involving South Korean and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
The joint operation targeted individuals allegedly associated with the Clop ransomware gang, with the detained suspects accused of laundering virtual currency obtained from ransomware attacks and converting it into cash.
Earlier this month, South Korean authorities charged three of the detainees with various offenses including violating communication network and information protection laws, extortion, and concealing criminal proceeds.
According to Choi Jongsang, the head of South Korea’s cybercrime investigation division, the two suspects sought through the Red Notice played pivotal roles in cyber-attacks conducted in 2019.
These attacks involved deploying ransomware against a university and three companies in South Korea, resulting in a ransom payment of $3.8 million in Bitcoin.
Ukrainian authorities have also indicated that the same cyber-criminal gang targeted institutions such as Stanford Medical School and the University of Maryland in the United States.
The ongoing collaboration between international law enforcement agencies underscores the global effort to combat cyber-crime and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.