Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung called Tuesday for swiftly determining the cause of a massive data leak at e-commerce giant Coupang and strengthening penalties for similar incidents in the future. Lee made the call during a Cabinet meeting after the company said personal information of nearly 34 million customers had been stolen, including names, addresses, and phone numbers.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the data breach at Coupang has raised significant concerns regarding cybersecurity and personal data protection in South Korea. The incident underscores the vulnerability of personal information held by large corporations and has prompted the government to reconsider existing data protection laws and penalties for breaches.

President Lee emphasized the urgency of identifying the cause of the leak to prevent future occurrences and to protect citizens' personal information. He urged relevant agencies to work closely with Coupang in the investigation and to propose stronger legislative measures to deter similar breaches in the future.

The breach, which is one of the largest in recent history, has put millions at risk of identity theft and other cybercrimes. Coupang has apologized for the incident and has assured its customers that it is taking steps to enhance its security measures and prevent further breaches.

The government, meanwhile, is expected to announce new guidelines and potential amendments to data protection regulations, aiming to ensure stricter compliance and accountability from companies handling large volumes of sensitive information.