Coupang CEO questioned in first police appearance over data breach
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Coupang chief executive Harold Rogers arriving at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan 30.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
SEOUL - Coupang chief executive Harold Rogers appeared before the South Korean police on Jan 30 as a suspect in an investigation into whether the e-commerce company obstructed a government probe through an internal review of a large-scale data breach.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Mr Rogers was summoned on suspicion that Coupang destroyed or concealed evidence related to a massive data breach affecting 33.7 million customer accounts
The appearance followed two earlier summonses that Mr Rogers declined after leaving South Korea, and marked his first questioning since police formed a special task force in December.
Upon arriving at police headquarters, Mr Rogers said Coupang would fully cooperate with the government’s investigation, “as it always has”, and that he would do the same during questioning.
Investigators are examining whether the company privately contacted the suspect overseas and conducted internal forensic work that may have interfered with the police investigation.
Coupang’s internal review concluded that roughly 3,000 records were taken and subsequently deleted, despite unauthorised access to as many as 33 million accounts.
At a parliamentary hearing in December, Mr Rogers said the company’s internal probe was directed by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, a statement the agency denied.
A long-time associate of Coupang founder Bom Kim, Mr Rogers was appointed acting head of the South Korean unit on Dec 10 after then CEO Park Dae-jun stepped down to take responsibility for the incident.
At the time, Mr Rogers was serving as general counsel for the US-based parent company Coupang.
In a separate line of inquiry, investigators are focusing on a former employee of Chinese nationality who has been identified as a central suspect in the data breach.
The South Korean authorities have sought international law enforcement cooperation through the International Criminal Police Organisation, with no substantive response so far.
Police said they are continuing procedures to question the suspect and seek punishment under South Korean law. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
