South Korean authorities are investigating a recent Hyundai bomb threat that has heightened concern over digital ransom schemes targeting major conglomerates.
Bitcoin-linked threat against Hyundai Group and Hyundai Motor
According to police, at around 11:42 a.m. on the 19th, a 112 call reported an email warning of an imminent attack on the Hyundai Group building in Yeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and the Hyundai Motor Group tower in Yangja-dong, Seocho-gu.
The email allegedly stated that “if 13 bitcoins are not given, the Hyundai Group building will be blown up at 11:30, and then a bomb will be taken to Yangja-dong and detonated”. Moreover, the message framed the demand as a direct digital ransom tied to bitcoin payments.
Police immediately dispatched special forces and other personnel to both locations and conducted a thorough search. However, no objects suspected of being explosive devices have been found so far, and operations at the sites were gradually normalized.
Rising pattern of corporate bomb threats in South Korea
This incident comes amid a worrying rise in threats against large Korean companies. The previous day, a message posted on Kakao‘s customer service bulletin board claimed, “I will blow up Samsung Electronics’ headquarters in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, and shoot Chairman Lee Jae-yong with a homemade gun”, directly naming Samsung Electronics and Lee Jae-yong.
On the 17th, another post appeared in KT‘s online sign-up form, asserting, “I installed a homemade bomb at KT’s Bundang building in Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam”. That statement triggered immediate concern and prompted checks on critical infrastructure.
In addition, Kakao’s Jeju headquarters and Pangyo office, as well as Naver, have recently received similar threats.
Authorities note that, while no explosives have been confirmed in these cases, anxiety among employees and local residents has been growing.
Moreover, repeated incidents involving digital channels, from emails to online forms and bulletin boards, underline how corporate security threats are evolving alongside technology.
Police response and investigation outlook
Police have launched full-scale investigations to identify those responsible for the series of messages. In the case of the Hyundai bomb threat, digital forensics teams are expected to trace the origin of the ransom email and review surveillance footage around the targeted buildings.
Similarly, investigators are analyzing IP logs and user data connected to posts mentioning Samsung, KT, Kakao and Naver.
However, the use of anonymizing tools and overseas platforms could complicate the process and extend the timeline for arrests.
For now, law enforcement officials emphasize that every new report is treated as credible until proven otherwise, leading to repeated deployments of special units and building evacuations.
That said, the growing number of incidents is putting additional pressure on security teams at South Korea’s largest technology and industrial groups.
The latest bitcoin-linked email to Hyundai underscores a broader trend in which major firms like Hyundai, Samsung, KT, Kakao and Naver face escalating digital threats, forcing closer coordination with police and continuous upgrades to on-site and cyber security protocols.