Hacker Changes Heart, Returns $21M Bitcoin to South Korean Prosecutors, Hunt Continues

South Korean prosecutors said they recovered 320.88 Bitcoin
this week after the cryptocurrency was returned to an official wallet. At the
time of writing, the coins were worth about $21.3 million, according to The
Chosun Daily.

320 Bitcoin Recovered, Suspect Still Sought

The Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office said the Bitcoin,
stolen in August 2025, was discovered missing during a routine inspection on
Jan. 23. Authorities attributed the theft to a phishing attack after access
credentials were exposed.

The returned funds were later moved to a secure domestic
exchange wallet. Prosecutors requested local exchanges to freeze the hacker’s
wallet, limiting the ability to liquidate the assets, but did not provide a
reason for the return.

“We will do our best to arrest the suspect regardless of the
recovery of the bitcoin,” the office told Digital Asset Works.

🚨 JUST IN: South Korean prosecutors have recovered $21M in stolen Bitcoin after a hacker returned the funds when authorities blocked related exchange transactions. The hacker’s identity is still unknown. pic.twitter.com/brAXiVKfcZ

— The Daily Block (@thedailyblock) February 19, 2026

Seoul Police Lose 22 Bitcoin, Probe Continues

The recovery follows a separate incident in Seoul, where 22
Bitcoin, worth about $1.5 million, vanished from police custody. The coins had
been voluntarily submitted in November 2021 and were transferred externally,
though the cold wallet itself was not stolen. The Gyeonggi Northern Provincial
Police Agency is investigating the missing 22 Bitcoin.

High-Value Hacks Dominate Crypto Theft Trends

Crypto
theft reached $3.4 billion in 2025, driven largely by a few high-value
breaches, according to Chainalysis. North Korea-linked actors were responsible
for at least $2 billion in stolen cryptocurrency.

While large exchange and custodial hacks accounted for most
losses, thefts from individual wallets also rose, affecting tens of thousands
of users.

The report highlighted evolving attack methods, including social
engineering and impersonation, and noted that a small number of incidents
continued to drive the majority of stolen funds. Analysts say these trends
underscore persistent security risks across the crypto ecosystem.

This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

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