Coupang's Kim Must Back Apology With Action, Not Words

Coupang founder and Coupang Inc. Chairman Bom Kim apologized on the 27th for the customer data breach incident. During Coupang's earnings conference call, Kim bowed his head and said, "I once again apologize for the concern and inconvenience caused to our customers by this data incident." While the company released a written apology after disclosing the breach on November 29 last year, this marks the first time Kim has personally apologized in his own voice.

It is only natural for founder Kim to express his commitment to taking responsibility at an official venue. However, given the gravity of a massive data breach, Kim's apology comes too late and falls short. The scope of the breach revealed by the joint public-private investigation team is shocking. Personal information of 33.67 million customers was compromised, and the perpetrator accessed a staggering 148 million delivery address records. Despite this, Coupang maintained its own finding of "3,000 leaked records" and lobbied U.S. politicians against discriminatory regulations—a brazen display of audacity.

Kim stated, "Customers are the only reason Coupang exists," adding that "we do our best every day to earn customer trust." Yet the sincerity of an apology is demonstrated through concrete actions, not words. Coupang previously offered affected customers three-month coupons with limited redemption options as compensation, drawing criticism for a token gesture. To prove this apology is not merely a temporary gesture to avoid government investigation and penalties, concrete follow-up measures must accompany the words.

Coupang must use this incident as an opportunity to upgrade its internal control systems, including data security, to world-class standards. Only then can the company—which transformed Korea's retail landscape through logistics innovation—restore customer trust and gain recognition as a truly global enterprise. The government and political circles should handle the Coupang case with objectivity. Violations must be held strictly accountable under law and principle, but there is no reason to provoke unnecessary trade friction through emotional responses driven by public sentiment. While belated, Kim has now personally expressed remorse. He must take the lead in resolving the immediate issues, following the principle that those who caused the problem must fix it.