Seoul, Nov 30 (V7N) – South Korea’s largest online retailer, Coupang, has apologized for a major breach of personal information affecting 33.7 million customer accounts through unauthorized access. The company, often referred to as the “Amazon of South Korea,” confirmed the incident on Sunday.

“We sincerely apologize once again for causing our customers inconvenience,” Coupang CEO Park Dae-jun said in a statement posted on the company’s website.

The breach, first discovered on November 18, is believed to have begun on June 24 via overseas servers. Customers’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses, and certain order histories were exposed, though payment details and login credentials were not compromised.

A Chinese former employee of Coupang is suspected to be involved, according to Yonhap News Agency. The company filed a complaint with police, who are currently investigating the incident. Coupang is cooperating with law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

The South Korean government held an emergency meeting to review the situation. Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon stated that authorities are examining whether Coupang violated personal information protection regulations. The Korea Internet & Security Agency issued a public advisory, warning affected customers about potential phishing scams.

Coupang, known for its “Rocket” fast delivery service, reported 24.7 million active commercial users in the third quarter. This breach comes amid a series of recent data leaks affecting major South Korean companies, including SK Telecom.

The incident has raised concerns over cybersecurity and personal data protection in South Korea, highlighting the growing importance of stringent safeguards in the digital retail sector. Customers are advised to monitor their accounts and exercise caution against potential scams linked to the breach.

END/WD/SMA/