Seoul: E-commerce giant Coupang Corp. announced on Wednesday that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Park Dae-jun has stepped down following a significant data breach affecting nearly 34 million users. "I deeply apologize for disappointing the public over the recent data breach, and have decided to step down from all my positions to take full responsibility for both the incident and the company's response," Park stated.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Coupang's U.S.-based parent company, Coupang Inc., has appointed Harold Rogers, the company's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and general counsel, as interim CEO. Rogers is tasked with leading the South Korean unit's response to the breach and addressing customer concerns. In a press release, the company emphasized Rogers' role in managing the fallout from the incident and restoring stability, indicating a proactive approach by the parent firm.
"I know this situation has been unsettling for many. Our priorities now are clear: address this incident thoroughly, strengthen our information security to prevent recurrence and restore trust," Rogers commented in a separate statement. Coupang reiterated its apologies for the distress caused by the massive data leak after announcing Park's resignation.
The breach, confirmed by Coupang on November 29, exposed personal information from 33.7 million customer accounts, a figure significantly higher than the initially reported 4,500 accounts on November 20. This number represents nearly two-thirds of South Korea's population, highlighting the breach's extensive impact. The leak compromised users' personal details, including names, phone numbers, email addresses, and delivery addresses, although payment information and login credentials were reportedly unaffected.
The presidential office has urged Coupang to clarify its plans for compensating affected consumers. Meanwhile, police conducted a second consecutive day of raids at Coupang's Seoul headquarters on Wednesday, aiming for a thorough investigation based on the gathered evidence. Coupang, currently facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States, disclosed that the leak originated from its overseas servers on June 24 and was only discovered last month.