South Korea probes loss of seized bitcoin in phishing attack

An internal audit reported that Bitcoin confiscated by South Korean prosecutors was likely lost in a phishing attack while held in official custody, according to local media coverage of the audit ^[1].

Estimates of the value lost vary across reports: Cointelegraph cites roughly $47 million in stolen Bitcoin ^[2], while another outlet reported figures as high as $300 million, and prosecutors have opened probes to trace the transfers ^[4][2].

Reporting indicates the theft involved exposure of private‑key credentials in mid‑2025, leading to irreversible transfers of multiple bitcoins; prosecutors are actively investigating and seeking to track the stolen funds ^[3][2].

The incident has prompted questions about storage and security protocols for confiscated digital assets as the investigation continues ^[1][4].