Lee of South Korea Urges Stricter Penalties Following Coupang Data Breach

SEOUL, Dec 2 (Reuters) - President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea described the recent massive data breach at e-commerce giant Coupang as a critical reminder for enhancing digital privacy measures. He has directed authorities to devise stricter penalties and fines for such incidents.

During a cabinet session, Lee expressed shock that Coupang failed to detect the breach for five months after it began. He emphasized that those responsible must be swiftly identified and held accountable.

South Korean law enforcement has opened an investigation into the exposure of personal information affecting over 33 million users of the countrys largest online retailer, which has been expanding rapidly and diversifying its services.

Negligent practices and the failure to prioritize personal data protection, which is a crucial asset in the digital and AI era, must be completely overhauled, Lee stated. He requested a review of fines and compensation policies to ensure they reflect the severity of similar breaches.

Coupang has issued an apology over the incident. Authorities are examining whether weaknesses in the companys systems contributed to what is considered South Koreas most significant data breach in over ten years.

Founded in 2010 by Korean-American entrepreneur Bom Kim and backed by Japans SoftBank Group, Coupang confirmed that customer names, email addresses, home addresses, and phone numbers were compromised. The breach reportedly began in June, but the company only notified government authorities in November.

Author: Sophia Brooks