Founder Issues Written Apology After Data Breach Kim Bom‑suk, founder and chairman, released a written apology on Dec. 28, acknowledging the leak that exposed personal data of about 34 million customers—roughly two‑thirds of South Korea’s population[1][2]. He said the apology was delayed because he wanted to verify all facts, a judgment he now calls wrong[1][2]. The statement was issued on behalf of all Coupang employees, marking his first formal apology since the incident[1][2].

Forensic Evidence Links Former Employee and Hacker Confession Coupang’s internal investigation identified a former employee as the source of the breach and recovered the hardware used in the attack[1][2]. The hacker associated with the equipment reportedly confessed to the illegal access[1][2]. Coupang presented these findings as proof of accountability, though they remain subject to external review[1][2].

Government Rejects Unilateral Findings, Calls for Joint Investigation South Korean officials labeled Coupang’s disclosures “unilateral,” emphasizing that a joint public‑private probe has not yet produced any official conclusions[1][2]. The government expects collaborative results and warns that the current revelations do not close the case[1][2]. This disagreement underscores ongoing tension over the scope and transparency of the investigation[1].

Founder and Executives Decline Parliamentary Hearing, Lawmakers Threaten Complaint Kim announced he would not attend the scheduled parliamentary hearing, citing a pre‑arranged schedule[1][2]. His brother Yoo Kim and former CEO Kang Han‑seung also submitted statements refusing to appear[1]. Lawmakers, led by Rep. Choi Min‑hee, announced plans to file a complaint against Kim for evading the hearing, intensifying political pressure for accountability[1].