NewKerala.com

Coupang Data Breach Exposes 33.6M Accounts, Sparks US-Korea Dispute

South Korea's Science Minister states the government's investigation into Coupang is being conducted under the law, refuting US political criticism of discriminatory targeting. The probe confirmed a data breach exposing over 33.6 million accounts, far more than the 3,000 Coupang initially reported. The company failed to promptly report the incident and preserve evidence, leading to a planned fine. The breach potentially affects about two-thirds of South Korea's population, as Coupang is a major e-commerce platform.

Key Points: Coupang Data Breach Probe: 33.6M Accounts Exposed

  • Probe into 33.6M account data breach
  • US committee alleges discriminatory targeting
  • Coupang initially claimed only 3,000 leaks
  • Company faces fine for delayed reporting
  • Breach may affect two-thirds of South Korea
2 min read

Probe on Coupang based on law without discrimination: Science minister

South Korea investigates Coupang over a massive data breach affecting 33.6 million accounts, refuting US claims of discriminatory targeting.

"It is the duty of the government to clearly find, investigate and reveal clear facts. - Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon"

Seoul, Feb 11

Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said on Wednesday that the government has been conducting a probe into the South Korean unit of US-listed e-commerce giant Coupang under principle without discrimination, refuting criticism from the US political circle.

Bae made the remark during a parliamentary session, after the US House Judiciary Committee began investigating what it has called South Korea's "discriminatory targeting" of American companies last Thursday (US time), reports Yonhap news agency.

"(The probe by South Korea) is being implemented under the law and principle," Bae said, responding to a lawmaker's question on whether the government has taken any discriminatory measures against Coupang.

Coupang reported a massive data breach in November, in which personal information, including names, phone numbers, email addresses and delivery details, was exposed.

The company, citing its own investigation, initially claimed that data from only 3,000 accounts had been leaked.

A joint public-private probe into the breach, however, confirmed on Tuesday that over 33.6 million accounts have been exposed.

"While (information) of the 33.67 million accounts can be stored in a hard disk for cloud account, Coupang is not providing a clear explanation," Bae said.

"It is the duty of the government to clearly find, investigate and reveal clear facts," Bae added.

The retail giant, offering overnight delivery of groceries and daily necessities, is one of the most popular shopping platforms in South Korea, with the breach possibly affecting about two-thirds of the country's entire population.

A joint public-private probe into a major data breach case at the South Korean unit of U.S.-listed e-commerce giant Coupang Inc. has confirmed that over 33.6 million accounts have been exposed, the science ministry said, suggesting the company may have sought to play down the incident by initially claiming only some 3,000 had been compromised.

The South Korean unit, Coupang Corp., also failed to promptly report the incident despite related regulations, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The ministry said it will impose a fine on the company for the delayed report and pursue a formal investigation, stressing that the company has failed to preserve key evidence despite its earlier request.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good on the South Korean government for standing their ground. A probe based on law is a probe based on law. The US shouldn't cry "discrimination" every time one of their big tech companies is held accountable in another country. The data breach facts speak for themselves.
A
Aman W
From 3,000 to 33.6 million?! That's not a small error, that's a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. Reminds me of some incidents with apps here. Companies must face serious penalties for such cover-ups, no matter where they are from.
S
Sarah B
While the government's duty to investigate is clear, I hope the process is transparent. Sometimes these probes can become tools for other agendas. The focus should remain solely on data security and consumer protection, not geopolitics.
V
Vikram M
This is a wake-up call for all of us using e-commerce. We share so much personal info - addresses, phone numbers, payment details. What are these platforms doing to protect it? Just imagine if this happened with one of our major Indian platforms... scary thought.
K
Karthik V
The US committee calling it "discriminatory targeting" feels like a pressure tactic. If an Indian company had a breach of this scale in the US, you can bet they would investigate thoroughly. Every country has the right to protect its citizens' data.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50