Coupang apologizes after 33.7 million customer accounts compromised in major data breach

Coupang, South Korea's largest online retailer, has issued a public apology following a significant data breach that compromised the personal information of 33.7 million customer accounts. The company, often referred to as the "Amazon.com of South Korea," confirmed that unauthorized access led to the exposure of sensitive customer data. Park Dae-jun, CEO of Coupang, conveyed the company's sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to its vast customer base through a statement on its website.

The incident, which Coupang stated it learned of on November 18 and subsequently reported to authorities, is believed to have originated around June 24 through overseas servers. The compromised data included customers' names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses, and certain order histories. Crucially, Coupang reassured customers that payment details and login credentials were not exposed during this security lapse.

This breach marks the latest in a series of data security incidents affecting major South Korean corporations, including prominent firms like SK Telecom. Given Coupang's pervasive presence in the daily lives of many Koreans, largely due to its "Rocket" fast delivery services and its 24.7 million active commercial users in the third quarter, the scale of this compromise is particularly concerning.

In response to the severity of the situation, the South Korean government convened an emergency meeting. Bae Kyung-hoon, Minister of Science and ICT, confirmed that the government is actively investigating whether Coupang adhered to all necessary safety regulations concerning personal information protection. Furthermore, the government-run Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) has issued a public advisory, cautioning affected individuals about the increased risk of phishing scams following the breach.

While investigations are ongoing, Yonhap News Agency reported on Sunday that a Chinese former employee of Coupang is suspected of being responsible for the breach. Coupang reportedly filed a complaint with the police earlier this month, and law enforcement authorities are currently pursuing an investigation into these allegations.