Korean hacker sentenced to 2 years in prison, fined 10 million won

The 13 Overwatch hackers and match-fixers that were caught by the South Korean government in January have begun to be properly punished.

One of those arrested was given a two-year suspended sentence – he would go to jail if he broke it during that time. This is the “official punishment” for 13 subjects. Another suspect was also fined 10 million won, or about $10,000, in January, according to a statement from Blizzard Korea.

11 more cases are being investigated by Korean prosecutors.

Blizzard has been actively working with Seoul’s National Cyber ​​Security Police Department to hack software developers in Korea. Subjects are being questioned in violation of the Game Industry Promotion Protection and information and communication technology (ICT) protection laws.

A rule change in June 2017 introduced harsher penalties for those who discovered ‘boosts’ or hacks in the game. The most severe punishment for violators is two years in prison and a $18,000 fine.

Blizzard continues to have a hard time fighting hackers and boosters in Korea, where it’s difficult to track down targets in game cafes. In February 2017, the developer changed the way the game was accessed in internet cafes, as a way to counter hacking. The problem persists globally, but Blizzard is fighting it fiercely in Korea and the US.

Many players of the Overwatch League – Overwatch’s most senior league – have been punished for the boost. Dallas Fuel player Son “OGE” Min-seok was suspended for four games for boosting. Meanwhile Philadelphia’s Tanker Kim “Sado” Su-min is currently suspended for 30 games for more serious boost violations.

Overwatch: Korean government in action to catch hackers and matchfixers

Source: dotesports