South Korean police raided Coupang’s headquarters in Seoul over a massive data leak that has affected nearly two-thirds of the country’s population. The raid was conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into the details of the data breach.
Coupang, South Korea’s most popular online shopping platform, offers rapid delivery of a wide range of products, from groceries to electronic devices, serving millions of customers. However, the company recently experienced a significant data leak, alerting its customers that their names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses, and some order histories were exposed. The company clarified that payment information and login credentials were not affected.
33.7 Million Coupang Customers’ Personal Information Leaked
Coupang reported to authorities that the personal information of 33.7 million customers was leaked, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of the country’s population. In response, Seoul police carried out a “search and seizure” operation at Coupang’s South Korean headquarters. The police described the operation as a “necessary measure” in their investigation of the data leak. Seventeen officers from the cybercrime investigation unit participated in the raid, and law enforcement emphasized that a “comprehensive investigation” would be carried out based on the evidence obtained.
Last week, President Lee Jae Myung called for swift punishment for those responsible for the scandal. Seoul authorities stated that the data breach occurred through Coupang’s overseas servers between June 24 and November 8. The company only became aware of the incident last month and reported the alleged culprit — a former employee who is a Chinese national — to the police. The suspect has not been apprehended yet.
Coupang is now facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States, where its global headquarters is located.
“Coupang Must Present Clear Measures on How It Will Take Responsibility”
Seoul’s presidential office stated that Coupang needs to provide a clear explanation on how it will compensate users whose data was stolen. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said, “Coupang must present clear measures on how it will take responsibility if damages occur.”
This case follows a major security breach at South Korea’s largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom. In August, a cyberattack exposed the data of approximately 27 million users, and the company was fined 134 billion won (91 million dollars) as a result.
South Korea Frequently Targeted by Cyberattacks!
South Korea, one of the world’s most digitally connected countries, has also been a frequent target of cyberattacks, particularly from North Korea. Last year, according to South Korean police, North Korean hackers infiltrated a South Korean court’s computer network and stole sensitive data, including individuals’ financial records. Last month, according to Yonhap, South Korean authorities suspected a North Korean hacker group was behind the recent cyberattack on the cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, which led to the unauthorized withdrawal of 44.5 billion won worth of digital assets.
Coupang Faces the Largest Data Breach in Its History, Nearly 34 Million Users Affected
