South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang announced on Monday a compensation package worth 1.69 trillion won, or about $1.18 billion, for users affected by a major data breach, according to Reuters. The plan covers roughly 33.7 million customer accounts and follows intense public and political criticism over the scale of the leak.
Under the proposal, affected customers will receive vouchers worth 50,000 won each, redeemable only on Coupang’s own platforms and services. The announcement came a day after founder Kim Bom issued his first public apology for last month’s breach and pledged to accelerate compensation efforts. Kim, however, has declined to attend parliamentary hearings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, citing prior commitments, Reuters reported.
The compensation plan has sparked further controversy, with critics arguing that vouchers tied to Coupang’s ecosystem fall short of meaningful restitution. Choi Min-hee, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party and chair of the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communication Committee, said in a Facebook post that Coupang was effectively “bundling coupons for services no one uses,” accusing the company of trying to turn the crisis into a business opportunity.
Consumer groups echoed those concerns. The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations said the plan made a mockery of consumers and downplayed the seriousness of the data breach, describing it as a marketing strategy designed to drive additional purchases rather than compensate for harm.
Asked about the growing criticism, Coupang said it had no further comment. South Korea’s parliament is set to hold two days of hearings on the incident starting Tuesday, as scrutiny of the company’s response continues.
