SEOUL, December 28 (AJP) - Kim Bom-suk, the founder of South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang, released a public apology Sunday regarding a massive data breach, acknowledging the company's failure to communicate promptly with affected users. The statement comes a month after the leak was discovered and amid intensifying scrutiny from regulators, who have signaled that the company could face severe penalties, including a potential suspension of operations.
In a statement released under his name as chairman of Coupang, Kim offered a "sincere apology" on behalf of all employees. He admitted that the company's initial response was insufficient and that the lack of clear, direct communication fueled fear and anxiety among users regarding the safety of their personal information.
Addressing the criticism over the month-long delay in his public response, Kim explained that he had initially believed the company should recover "100 percent" of the stolen data before making an announcement. He stated that he viewed data recovery as the entirety of restoring customer trust, but in retrospect, waiting until all facts were verified was a "wrong judgment."
Coupang, often described as the "Amazon of South Korea" and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has faced mounting public backlash not only for the breach itself but for its handling of the crisis. Government authorities have taken an unprecedentedly hardline stance, launching a pan-government task force and indicating a strict crackdown that could legally lead to a suspension of Coupang's services in South Korea if systemic failures are found.
Regarding the ongoing investigation, Kim maintained that Coupang has cooperated fully with the government and strictly adhered to confidentiality requests, even as misinformation spread. He pledged to invest in building a "world-class cyber security system" to prevent future incidents.
The apology was released just two days before a major joint hearing at the National Assembly involving six standing committees. Despite the public statement, Kim submitted a notice on Saturday that he would not attend the hearing as a witness, citing overseas business schedules. Critics view the timing of the apology as an attempt to mitigate public anger while avoiding direct questioning by lawmakers.
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