Overview
- Citing forensic leads, Coupang says a former employee used stolen internal keys to access data tied to roughly 33 million accounts but saved information from about 3,000 and later deleted it, including 2,609 building entrance codes.
- Seoul’s science ministry called Coupang’s Dec. 25 announcement a unilateral claim, noting the joint public‑private investigation has not confirmed the company’s conclusions.
- The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is conducting an independent forensic review of a laptop Coupang submitted and is assessing whether the company’s evidence recovery methods, including retrieving a device from a river, pose legal issues.
- The presidential office convened an emergency ministerial meeting that included security and foreign affairs officials, signaling scrutiny of both the breach and Coupang’s reported U.S. lobbying ties.
- Coupang shares rose about 6–9% after the firm released a cooperation timeline, while U.S. politicians, including Robert O’Brien and Rep. Darrell Issa, criticized Korea’s oversight as risking trade friction; reports also noted a USTR meeting was canceled or postponed.