Coupang has expressed regret over a record fine of 624.68 billion won imposed by the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) for data breaches. The company indicated it would pursue legal action to clarify the facts surrounding the decision.
In a statement released on June 11, Coupang apologized for the concerns caused to customers and the public due to the recent data breach incident. The company pledged to strengthen its personal information protection framework and work diligently to regain customer trust.
However, Coupang expressed disappointment with the PIPC's ruling. The company stated, "We regret that the proactive measures taken to prevent secondary damage related to last year's data breach and our clear explanations based on factual circumstances were not adequately reflected in the PIPC's decision."
The PIPC announced that Coupang had leaked personal information of approximately 37.5 million users and unlawfully collected and stored online activity records of 11.17 million members without legal grounds, leading to the record fine. This is the largest penalty ever imposed for violations of South Korea's personal information protection laws.
Coupang also defended its operations related to the 'Coupang Partners' program, which was included in the sanctions. The company stated, "Coupang Partners is a program that allows thousands of domestic creators, bloggers, and small businesses to recommend products and generate revenue. We operate it legally and protect customer data using the same affiliate model as other global companies."
Coupang concluded by stating, "We hope that the facts will be clearly established through legal procedures after receiving the official resolution from the PIPC."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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