"Appeared and Then Disappeared"... Coupang's Apology Statement Vanishes in Two Days

[Financial News] Coupang, the largest e-commerce company in Korea, is facing criticism for its inadequate apology following a major customer information leak affecting 33.7 million records.
Two days ago, the apology statement lacked sincerity, and as complaints grew, Coupang has now removed the statement from its website.

After disclosing the scale of the data breach on the afternoon of the 29th, Coupang began sending text messages to customers. However, most customers received the message the following day, on the 30th. The apology statement signed by CEO Park Dae-jun was also posted on the website and app that afternoon.
On the website, the apology appeared as a banner next to the Coupang logo at the top, which users could click to view details. On the app, it was displayed as a popup banner.
Currently, the apology statement is nowhere to be found. It has been completely deleted from the app, and on the website, users must scroll to the very bottom and access the notice section to find any related information.
Online communities have begun posting critical comments such as, "Apparently, two days of apology is considered enough," and "It seems they are making light of consumers' anger."
When asked about the reason for deleting the apology, Coupang did not provide a separate answer. Instead, it referred to CEO Park Dae-jun's response at the emergency inquiry session of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee of the National Assembly on the 2nd.
Park stated, "The apology statement alone is insufficient, and as concerns about secondary damages are being raised through customer service (CS), we are preparing to send a more detailed notice and apology via email."


The wording of the apology, which was deleted without explanation, also fueled public anger.
In a text message titled 'Coupang Personal Information Exposure Notice,' the word 'exposure' appeared five times, including in the title. The apology posted on the website under Park Dae-jun's name stated, "There was unauthorized access to customer information."
By using the term 'exposure' instead of 'leak,' some saw this as an attempt to downplay the incident, while the phrase 'unauthorized access' was interpreted as an effort to portray themselves as hacking victims.
These expressions were also questioned during the emergency inquiry at the National Assembly.
Lee Hun-ki, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), criticized, "In the text message sent to users after the incident, Coupang used the word 'exposure' instead of 'leak.' This is deceiving the public. Why did you use such wording—was it to avoid penalties?"
In response, Park Dae-jun replied, "There was no intention to evade responsibility," and added, "There was no ulterior motive as you suggested."
When Lee pressed further, asking, "How could you use the word 'exposure' in your apology and notice after such a major incident?" Park admitted, "It was a lack of consideration on my part."
When asked whether Coupang Chairman Bom Kim would personally apologize, Park responded, "Since this incident occurred within the Korean corporation and is under my responsibility, I would like to apologize once again myself."
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter