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Bom Kim, Chairman of Coupang. (Photo courtesy of Coupang) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Bom Kim, Chairman of Coupang’s board of directors, issued a formal apology to Korean customers and the public following a large-scale personal data breach involving the company, nearly one month after the incident occurred.
In a statement released on the 28th, Kim said, “As the founder and chairman of Coupang, and on behalf of all our employees, I sincerely apologize.”
He acknowledged shortcomings in the company’s initial response and communication, stating, “I deeply regret that my apology came later than it should have.”
Kim explained the steps the company has taken since the incident, saying, “We have mobilized all available resources and personnel to contain the situation and prevent further harm. We believed it was more important to demonstrate meaningful action and tangible results than to offer words alone.” However, he conceded that this judgment was ultimately mistaken, adding, “In hindsight, we should have clearly expressed our regret and apology from the very beginning.”
In the statement, Kim also disclosed details regarding the progress of the investigation and recovery efforts. According to him, Coupang has worked closely with relevant government authorities over the past month to identify the individual responsible for the leak and to recover the related storage devices.
The investigation confirmed that approximately 3,000 customer records were stored on the individual’s computer, and there has been no evidence that the data was distributed or sold externally. However, Kim noted that the investigation remains ongoing and that customers will be informed should any additional findings emerge.
He further emphasized that Coupang has cooperated fully with government authorities since the early stages of the incident. The company identified the individual responsible shortly after the breach, reported the case to authorities, and worked with them to recover the devices and leaked data, submitting all relevant materials. Kim added that although speculation and misinformation circulated during this period, public communication was limited in order to comply with government requests to maintain confidentiality during the investigation.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that these reasons do not fully justify the lack of communication. “We believed that fully recovering the leaked personal information was the most critical step toward restoring customer trust,” Kim said. “However, we failed to communicate sufficiently with the public in the process.”
Kim also expressed deep remorse over the incident itself, despite the recovery of the data. “We take full responsibility for failing to prevent this data breach,” he said. “I sincerely apologize for the anxiety, inconvenience, and concern this incident has caused our customers.”
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
