Coupang Rocked by Massive Data Leak—33.7 Million Users Hit, Company Issues Public Apology
South Korea’s largest e-commerce giant, Coupang, has issued a public apology after a massive data breach exposed the personal details of 33.7 million customers. The company confirmed on Sunday that the information was accessed through unauthorised data intrusion, triggering serious concerns among users and regulators.
Coupang said it “sincerely apologises once again for causing inconvenience to our customers,” according to Park Dae-ju, a senior company official.
The breach is now one of the biggest in South Korea’s recent history, putting intense pressure on the online retail powerhouse to strengthen its cybersecurity systems and restore user trust.
Authorities are currently investigating how the breach occurred, what data was compromised, and whether additional safeguards were bypassed. Meanwhile, Company has assured customers that it is working urgently to secure its systems and prevent any further misuse of the leaked information.
More updates are expected as the investigation continues.
The government, which held an emergency meeting on Sunday, is looking into whether Coupang violated safety rules regarding personal information protection, said Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon.
Coupang said on Saturday that it learned of the data breach on November 18 and reported it to authorities. It said it was working with law enforcement and regulatory authorities.
The company, whose services are ubiquitous for many Koreans using its “Rocket” fast deliveries, has said it had 24.7 million active commercial users in the third quarter.
Yonhap News Agency reported on Sunday that a Chinese former employee at Coupang was suspected of being behind the breach. Coupang sent a complaint to police this month, and police are investigating, Yonhap said, without citing the sources of its information.
