Police launched an investigation into a hacking attack of the finance ministry's Web site, an official said Wednesday.

The probe came a day after a drawing of a black rat holding a lantern symbolizing the G-20 Seoul Summit in 2010 was posted on the English-language Web site of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

The drawing is identical to one a university instructor drew on a G-20 promotional poster ahead of the summit of the world's 20 major economies in Seoul in 2010.

Critics of President Lee Myung-bak often use the image of a rat to mock the conservative leader.

The hacked Web site also displayed a banner supporting a strike by MBC, one of the major television networks in Korea.

Police investigators were analyzing log records of the ministry's Web site and other security system, said Jung Suk-hwa, a senior police officer handling cyberterrorism.

He said it would take more than a month to complete the investigation.

He also said the person or people responsible could face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won (US$86,000) if convicted of violating the law protecting the government communications infrastructure. (Yonhap)