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Police Probe Coupang Laptop as Government Disputes Company’s Data-Leak Claims

Officials have not verified Coupang's claim that data saved from about 3,000 users was later deleted.

Overview

  • Seoul police are conducting a forensic review of a laptop Coupang retrieved and turned over, checking whether it was used in the breach and if any tampering occurred.
  • Coupang says a former employee accessed data tied to roughly 33.7 million accounts using a stolen security key but saved information from about 3,000 accounts and shared it with no third parties.
  • The government and the joint investigation team called the company’s statement a unilateral claim pending verification, and investigators are scrutinizing the firm’s handling of evidence.
  • Rejecting 'self‑investigation' accusations, Coupang published a timeline saying it acted under government guidance and recovered devices, including a laptop it says was retrieved from a river near its office.
  • A presidential emergency meeting and a pan‑agency task force are pushing parallel probes, including tax and special‑prosecutor raids, as U.S. political figures criticize Korea’s scrutiny and the USTR canceled a meeting that Seoul described as a postponement.