Police Again Refute Coupang's Claim of 'Government-Directed Investigation,' Saying 'No Coordination Took Place'

[Financial News] The police have once again refuted Coupang’s claim that, following a government directive, it obtained a full confession from the individual responsible for the data breach and retrieved all devices used in the incident, stating that 'no coordination took place.'
A representative from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) stated on the 26th that there was 'no coordination' regarding Coupang’s contact with the perpetrator or the recovery of devices, adding, 'We are closely verifying the facts concerning Coupang’s investigation process.'
Previously, Coupang issued a press release stating that, using forensic evidence, it had identified the former employee responsible for leaking customer information in the recent data breach. The company also explained that it had recovered and secured all devices and hard disk drives used to access and extract customer data, and that no external transmission had been detected.
However, the government countered these claims, stating, 'Coupang’s assertions have not been verified by the Public-Private Joint Investigation Team and are unilateral.' The police also announced to the media the previous day that they are thoroughly investigating whether Coupang’s statements are factual.
As the government refuted Coupang’s claims as 'one-sided,' Coupang responded with another press release, reiterating that it had obtained a full confession from the perpetrator and retrieved all devices used in the breach at the government’s direction, as well as secured key facts about the leaked customer information. The company added that any new findings, statements, or equipment obtained from the perpetrator were immediately submitted to the government.
Coupang further asserted, 'The investigation was not an internal probe, but was conducted over several weeks in close daily cooperation with the government, as directed by authorities.' The company claimed that repeated allegations of conducting the investigation independently without government oversight were creating unnecessary public anxiety.
Coupang explained, 'On the 1st, we met with the government and pledged full cooperation. On the 2nd, we received an official document from the government regarding the breach, and over the following weeks, we worked closely with authorities to track, contact, and communicate with the perpetrator almost daily.' The company added, 'On the 9th, the government suggested that Coupang contact the perpetrator, and on the 14th, we met the individual responsible for the breach for the first time and reported this to the government.'
welcome@fnnews.com Yuha Jang Reporter