Coupang confirms more users hit by data leak that South Korean official says has ‘shaken’ US ties
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E-commerce company Coupang has been under a government probe over the leak in 2025 of personal data that affected more than 33 million customers.
PHOTO: AFP
SEOUL – US-listed South Korean e-commerce company Coupang confirmed on Feb 5 that the data of an additional 165,000 users was leaked in a major security breach, which a South Korean government official said had shaken the country’s alliance with the US.
Coupang Korea has been under a South Korean government probe over the leak in 2025 of personal data
Coupang said on Feb 5 it had identified additional customers affected by November’s leak, which involved contact details including names, phone numbers and addresses.
No payment details or login information was compromised and users have been notified as per government guidance, it said in a statement.
Coupang Korea, operated by Coupang Inc and which generates most of the parent company’s revenue, has faced a public and lawmaker backlash following the disclosure of the leak in 2025.
The breach, affecting two-thirds of the South Korean population, has triggered wide-ranging police and regulatory investigations and lawsuits against the company, as well as complaints from US investors and lawmakers that an American company was being targeted with discriminatory actions.
Coupang is also facing a tax audit in South Korea and a legal complaint filed by the country’s Parliament against its founder and former executives.
Mr Wi Sung-lac, the South Korean presidential national security adviser, said the Coupang issue is affecting a range of key trade and security matters between the allies, in an interview with the Kyunghyang daily published on Feb 5.
US President Donald Trump’s decision to hike tariffs on South Korean goods to 25 per cent from 15 per cent was “linked” to the Coupang matter and several other issues Washington is focusing on, including a South Korean move to tighten regulation against digital platform operators that could affect US firms.
“We have set up ties with the US, China and Japan, but one pillar of that is being shaken by the talk of raising tariffs,” Mr Wi said.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for tough penalties for negligence over data breaches, saying the Coupang leak should serve as a wake-up call. REUTERS
