A local court on Friday ordered three credit card companies hit by massive data leaks to pay fines for failing to fulfill their duties to protect customer information.

In 2014, an employee at a local credit rating agency was found to have stolen card holders' information, including bank account numbers, addresses and credit ratings, from KB Kookmin Card Co., Nonghyup Bank and Lotte Card Co. from June 2012 to December 2013. 


The Seoul Central District Court ordered KB Kookmin Card and Nonghyup Bank to pay 15 million won (US$13,000) each and Lotte Card to pay 10 million won in fines.

The court said KB Kookmin Card and Nonghyup Bank received aggravated penalties as they are responsible for two leakage occasions each, whereas Lotte is only liable for one incident.

The companies are responsible for not taking necessary measures in advance, making it possible for the employee, identified only by his surname Park, to leak some 140 million copies of customer information, it said.

Earlier in January, the same court ordered KB Kookmin and Nonghyup to give 100,000 won in compensation to the victims who filed suits against them, setting a precedent for dozens of other similar cases pending at the court. (Yonhap)