Digital ministry investigates Coupang Taiwan data breach
數發部正在調查台灣酷澎（Coupang）個資外洩事件
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Coupang may face fines and possible sanctions following a cybersecurity breach involving the personal data of more than 200,000 Taiwanese customers.
After inspecting the company’s facilities on Feb. 25, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said it will initiate a legal investigation into potential violations of the Personal Data Protection Act, per CNA. On three previous occasions, the company insisted that the personal information of Taiwanese accounts accessed in the November 2025 breach had not been misused. However, the ministry’s investigation found deficiencies in the company’s handling of customer data and cited its failure to promptly report the leak to relevant authorities. Of the 33 million customers whose personal information was compromised, forensic analysis found that roughly 3,000 accounts — including one Taiwanese account — were stored by the perpetrator. A former employee who still had access to the customer database was responsible for the incident. In response, Coupang announced it will issue shopping vouchers of NT$1,000 (US$32) to all of the Taiwanese customers who were affected. Coupang Taiwan has also pledged to comply with all obligations required by law. Coupang Chairman Kim Bom-suk apologized for the breach and the inconvenience caused to customers, per Chosun Daily. The company recently posted record profits for 2025, despite a decline in sales and consumer confidence in the fourth quarter following the breach. In 2025, the company reported NT$109 billion in sales and NT$14.8 billion in profits, per the Korea Herald. Kim said he expects the company to recover gradually, with continued growth forecast for 2026. |
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| Duncan DeAeth Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2026-03-01 |
