Data protection agency tells Coupang to stop publishing unconfirmed information about data breach

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, Korea’s data protection watchdog, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), told Coupang to stop publishing its own findings about a data breach that compromised millions of users’ personal information, warning that unverified statements could mislead users and undermine an ongoing official investigation. The PIPC said Coupang had disclosed information on its app and website that authorities had not confirmed through a formal probe.

During the review, the watchdog took issue with Coupang’s notice based on statements obtained through the company’s own contact with a former employee identified as the suspected source of the leak, even as the official investigation continued. The agency emphasised that Coupang presented those statements as if authorities had verified them. The piece notes that the warning is part of an official process around the data breach and the ongoing inquiry.