South Korean government officials often use personal email accounts for official business, a widespread practice that raises the risk of security breaches, data leaks and reputational damage. 

Despite long-standing fears of hacks and phishing from North Korea-related actors, multiple current and former officials told Korea Pro that using personal email accounts for official purposes is common across the government.

Evidence of this practice is readily available. Official government business cards often display personal Gmail and other such addresses, and when they do not, staffers commonly scribble personal email addresses onto the cards.

This correspondent’s collection includes over a dozen such