Almost 1,000 North Korean defectors have had their personal data leaked after a computer at a South Korean resettlement centre was hacked.

A personal computer at the state-run centre was found to have been “infected with a malicious code”.

An official at the ministry reported saying “The malware was planted through emails sent by an internal address”

The ministry said this is thought to be the first large-scale information leak involving North Korean defectors.

The hackers’ identity and the origin of the cyber-attack is not yet confirmed.

The North Gyeongsang resettlement centre is among 25 institutes the ministry runs to help an estimated 32,000 defectors adjust to life in South Korea.