Coupang ordered to pay data leak victims $70 each

Korea’s consumer dispute mediation committee on Friday recognized Coupang’s liability for damages over its massive personal data breach last year and ordered the U.S.-listed firm to compensate affected users.

The committee under the state-run Korea Consumer Agency decided that the e-commerce giant must pay 100,000 won ($70) per person, in cash or as Coupang Cash, to 50 consumers who jointly applied for collective dispute mediation.

It is the first time a Korean dispute mediation body has formally acknowledged Coupang’s responsibility for damages arising from the large-scale leak of data involving 33.7 million customers.

In its decision, the committee pointed out that not only basic personal data such as names, email addresses and home addresses had been leaked, but also highly sensitive information including apartment entrance passwords and order histories, which are closely tied to users’ private lives.

The committee also took into account that personal data had been siphoned over a long period, from April to November, and that emails about the leak were sent by the hacker to so ...