Korean Air Employee Data Breach: Cyberattack Exposes Personal Information

Cyberattack on Korean Air's Catering Partner

Seoul: A significant data breach has occurred at Korean Air, South Korea's leading airline, following a cyberattack on KC&D, a partner responsible for in-flight meals and onboard sales services. This information was revealed by industry insiders on Monday.

The airline informed its staff through an internal memo that KC&D had recently fallen victim to a cyberattack orchestrated by a hacker group, as reported by a local news agency.

This incident is part of a troubling trend of data breaches affecting major companies across various industries, including Coupang Inc., KT Corp., and Shinhan Card Co.

The breach has compromised personal information of Korean Air employees stored on KC&D's servers, which includes names and phone numbers.

Korean Air stated that it learned of the breach after receiving notification from KC&D and has since implemented urgent security measures while also reporting the incident to the appropriate authorities.

The airline has advised its employees to stay alert for any potential follow-up threats, urging caution regarding suspicious emails or text messages.

In a separate development, the country's antitrust regulator has directed Korean Air to amend its mileage integration strategy related to its merger with Asiana Airlines.

Korean Air has been asked to provide a more comprehensive plan within a month, detailing how bonus seats and seat upgrade services will be managed, according to the Fair Trade Commission.

The merger plan, which was approved in September, allows Asiana customers to utilize their accumulated mileage for ten years after the airline ceases operations, preserving its value without requiring further action.

Korean Air's acquisition of a controlling interest in Asiana Airlines was finalized in December 2024, following an extensive review by international competition authorities that began in November 2020.