Coupang Faces Scrutiny After Massive Data Breach

South Korea's National Tax Service is auditing e-commerce giant Coupang over a major data leak affecting over 33 million customers. The investigation involves Coupang's transactions with its New York-listed parent company. Founder Bom Kim faces criticism for his silence as regulatory probes intensify.

South Korea's National Tax Service has launched a special audit of Coupang, the e-commerce platform under scrutiny after revealing a massive customer information leak, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The audit scrutinizes Coupang's South Korean unit's dealings with its New York-listed parent company, led by founder Bom Kim, who has faced criticism for not addressing the breach publicly. A large team of tax officials reportedly entered Coupang's Seoul offices to secure documents, according to unnamed industry sources cited by Yonhap.

The tax agency declined to comment on specific taxpayer audits, and Coupang has not yet provided a statement. Confirmation of the data breach, affecting over 33 million customers, has triggered public anger and led to investigations by regulatory bodies and the police. Lawmakers are threatening legal action after Kim cited his global business commitments for not attending a parliamentary hearing on the breach.