Coupang Data Breach Widens: 165,000 More South Korean Users Confirmed Affected
SEOUL – In a fresh blow to consumer trust, South Korean e-commerce leader Coupang has confirmed that a previously disclosed data breach is far larger than initially reported. According to a Yonhap news agency report on Thursday, the personal data of an additional 165,000 users has been compromised, expanding the scale of a cybersecurity crisis that has plagued the company for over a year.
The latest confirmation deepens the fallout from a breach first investigated in 2023, which affected more than 33 million customers—a staggering figure in a country of approximately 51 million people. Coupang, often dubbed the "Amazon of South Korea," has been under ongoing investigation by national data protection authorities since the initial incident came to light.
While the company has not detailed the specific nature of the newly leaked data, previous breaches involved sensitive information including names, addresses, and partial payment details. This repeated failure to secure user data raises serious questions about the robustness of Coupang's cybersecurity infrastructure and its compliance with South Korea's stringent Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
Industry analysts suggest the expanded breach could trigger heavier penalties from regulators and further erode consumer confidence in a market where data privacy concerns are increasingly paramount. The incident also serves as a cautionary tale for the global e-commerce sector, highlighting the persistent vulnerabilities in safeguarding vast troves of customer data.
User Reactions
Min-ji Park, 34, Freelance Designer: "As a long-time Coupang Wow member, this is deeply disappointing. It feels like we're just numbers to them. I've already changed my passwords, but what's the point if the company itself is the weak link? I'm seriously considering switching to smaller, local platforms that might value security more."
David Kim, 42, IT Security Consultant: "This isn't a surprise from a technical standpoint. Rapid scaling often outpaces security investments. The real issue is transparency—or the lack thereof. When was this additional breach actually discovered? The delay in public disclosure is almost as damaging as the leak itself. It points to a crisis management failure."
Hyeon Cho, 29, Student & Activist: "Absolutely outrageous! This is corporate negligence on a massive scale. They profited from our data and failed at their most basic duty: protecting it. Where's the accountability? Fines aren't enough; there need to be criminal investigations into the executives who oversaw this security disaster. We're not just 'affected users'—we're victims of their incompetence."
Ji-won Lee, 51, Small Business Owner: "This affects my business as I use Coupang for supplies. It creates a logistical headache and a loss of trust. It also makes me wonder about the broader ecosystem—if a giant like Coupang is this vulnerable, what does that say about the safety of our digital economy? Regulators need to step in with much stronger oversight, not just one-off investigations."