Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

 

[Alpha Biz= Kim SangJin] The Office of the President has instructed relevant authorities to implement immediate measures to prevent secondary damage arising from the recent large-scale data breach involving Coupang.

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik convened a senior secretariat meeting on December 8 at the Yongsan presidential office, expressing increasing concern over public anxiety related to the incident, according to a written briefing issued by Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Gwi-ryeong.

Chief of Staff Kang stated that the leaked personal information may be exploited for online fraud or unauthorized card transactions, emphasizing that “Coupang must present clear and concrete measures outlining how the company intends to assume responsibility should any damages occur.”

He further referenced media reports indicating that Coupang had added an indemnity clause to its terms and conditions that effectively exempts the company from liability for customer losses. Kang ordered the relevant ministries to “conduct a thorough review to determine whether the clause is unfairly disadvantageous to consumers and to take corrective action where necessary.”

Regarding concerns that Coupang has recently recruited a number of former officials from the prosecution, judiciary, Fair Trade Commission, and Ministry of Employment and Labor, Kang noted that such practices “may undermine principles of fair market competition,” and directed authorities to carry out a broader review of similar hiring practices across other companies.

 

 

 

 

AlphaBIZ Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)