Two computer programmers have been arrested in South Korea on suspicion of unleashing a torrent of spam on the country between September and December last year.

Police allege that the two men - a 20-year-old and 26-year-old - sent some 1.6 billion unsolicited emails aimed at obtaining financial information for resale to loan companies. Authorities said the pair flogged 12,000 South Korean's details, netting them around $106,400.

A Sophos survey last week ranked South Korea third in a world league of shame of the worst countries for spam relay, behind the US and China.

Reuters reports a police spokesman said: "This kind of spam mailing is causing enormous problems in South Korea and we think these two are responsible for some of the biggest abuses." ®