The collective dispute resolution process for Coupang users affected by a data breach has resumed. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) restarted the victim relief procedures, which had been temporarily halted in February due to the imposition of fines on Coupang.
On June 12, the PIPC announced that the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee has merged two collective dispute resolution applications against Coupang and initiated the mediation process. Victims who have not yet participated in the collective dispute resolution can apply for additional participation from today until June 26.
According to the PIPC's investigation, the data breach affected over 37.56 million individuals, including 33.22 million Coupang members and at least 4.33 million non-members. The mediation committee decided to consolidate cases filed by 50 individuals, including Mr. Go, and 1,626 individuals, including Mr. Kim, for consideration.
Previously, the PIPC began its investigation into the Coupang data breach in November of last year. It determined that the investigation's findings could influence the dispute resolution process, leading to the temporary suspension of the collective dispute resolution in February. Following the decision on fines and corrective measures against Coupang on June 10, the previously halted mediation process has now resumed.
Users who received notifications of the data breach from Coupang can additionally participate in the collective dispute resolution. They must complete an application form and submit it via email or postal mail to the Dispute Mediation Committee. The committee will review the applicants' qualifications and notify them of acceptance within 10 days after the application deadline, with a mediation proposal to be provided within 60 days of the application closing date.
The collective dispute resolution system is utilized when there are more than 50 victims who have suffered similar data breaches and share common key issues. Unlike individual lawsuits, this system allows for the simultaneous relief of multiple victims without incurring separate costs. It enables victims to negotiate compensation and damages through a single process without filing separate lawsuits.
However, collective dispute resolution does not carry the same legal weight as a court ruling. Even if the mediation committee prepares a proposal, both the applicants and the business must accept it for the resolution to be valid. If a resolution is reached, it will have the same effect as a court settlement under the Personal Information Protection Act. If the business does not accept the proposal, victims must pursue separate civil lawsuits to claim damages.
With recent large-scale data breaches, the use of the collective dispute resolution system has increased. Previously, the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee approved a mediation proposal that provided 300,000 won to each applicant affected by the SK Telecom SIM card information leak.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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