South Korea probes unauthorised disclosure of President Lee's passport data

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has launched an investigation into the leak of President Lee's passport information, treating the matter as a data breach rather than a hacking incident, according to ministry statements.

The unauthorised disclosure of the presidential passport details has prompted officials to examine how the sensitive information became public. The Foreign Ministry's characterisation of the incident as a leak suggests that the data may have been deliberately or negligently shared by an individual with access to the records, rather than obtained through cyber intrusion.

The investigation marks a significant security concern for Seoul, as passport information relating to the country's head of state represents highly sensitive personal data. Officials have not disclosed the extent of the leaked information or whether additional classified details were compromised in the incident.

The Foreign Ministry has not released details about the scope of the investigation or any preliminary findings. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about data protection within South Korean government agencies and the handling of classified information relating to senior state officials.