South Korea fines Coupang record $400M+ for data breach affecting 34 million customers
Summary
South Korean regulators fined Coupang a record 624 billion won ($400M+) for a 2025 data breach that exposed personal data of over 34 million customers — roughly two-thirds of South Korea's population. A former employee accessed names, emails, addresses, phone numbers, and order histories over several months. Coupang, a U.S.-headquartered e-commerce giant popular in South Korea, plans to challenge the fine. The case is notable as U.S.-based companies rarely face such severe penalties for data breaches due to limited enforcement powers.
Source
Key quotes
· 4 pulledSouth Korean authorities levied a record 624 billion won (over $400 million) penalty on Coupang after a breach last year exposed personal data of more than 34 million customers.
Coupang, headquartered in the U.S. and popular in South Korea, said a months-long breach let a former employee obtain names, email and shipping addresses, phone numbers, and order histories for about two-thirds of South Korea's population.
Coupang plans to challenge the regulator's decision.
The case is described as rare because U.S.-based firms seldom face financial sanctions or criminal prosecution for data breaches due to limited laws and enforcement powers.
You might also wanna read

US House committee says South Korea discriminated against Coupang
Vietnam Airlines Data Breach Exposes 7.5 Million Customer Records
Vietnam Airlines suffered a major data breach in June 2025 when hackers called 'Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters' compromised the airline's Salesfo
South Korean Tax Authorities Lose Seized Cryptocurrency After Posting Wallet Passwords Online
South Korean tax authorities seized approximately $5.6 million in cryptocurrency from tax evaders but inadvertently lost a significant porti
Singapore introduces caning punishment for scammers amid rising financial fraud losses
Singapore has passed legislation to impose caning as punishment for scammers in response to escalating financial fraud. The country has seen

Qantas Customer Data Leaked After Hackers' Ransom Deadline Passes
Hackers from the collective Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters have leaked personal records of 5 million Qantas customers on the dark web after a ran
Swedish IT Supplier Miljödata Suffers Cyberattack Exposing Data of 1.5 Million People
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) is investigating a major cyberattack on IT systems supplier Miljödata that exposed person

Comments
Sign in to join the conversation.
No comments yet. Be the first.