South Korean leader advocates for consequences following e-commerce data breach.

On Tuesday, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung called for immediate measures to hold accountable those responsible for a significant data breach at e-commerce giant Coupang, which impacted over 33 million customers. The president expressed shock that the company failed to detect the breach for nearly five months, describing the extent of the damage as "enormous."

Coupang is the countrys leading online retail platform, known for providing rapid deliveries of a wide range of products, from groceries to electronics. Authorities reported that the leak occurred through overseas servers between June 24 and November 8, but the company only became aware of the breach last month. Police and local media confirmed that Coupang filed a complaint in November against the suspected perpetrator, identified as a former employee of Chinese nationality.

President Lee instructed the government to "strengthen fines and ensure punitive measures are enforced," emphasizing the need for "practical and effective counteractions." He added that the origin of the incident must be identified promptly and that those responsible must face strict consequences.

Law enforcement officials stated on Monday that they are tracking IP addresses and exploring potential international cooperation as part of the investigation. They cautioned that the leak could "affect the daily lives and safety of every citizen."

Coupang informed customers that exposed information included names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses, and some order histories. The company confirmed, however, that payment information and login credentials remained secure.

This breach follows a major cyberattack on South Korea's largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, which resulted in a 134 billion won ($91 million) fine in August after data on nearly 27 million users was compromised. South Korea, despite being highly connected technologically, has repeatedly faced hacking attempts, often linked to North Korea. Last year, authorities revealed that North Korean hackers had stolen sensitive data, including financial records, from a South Korean court over a two-year period. Most recently, reports suggest a North Korean group may have been involved in a cyberattack on the cryptocurrency platform Upbit, resulting in the unauthorized withdrawal of 44.5 billion won in digital assets.

Author: Sophia Brooks