South Korea Convenes Emergency Christmas Meeting Over Coupang Data Breach, US Lobbying Eyed

It's Christmas Day, but for e-commerce giant Coupang Inc., the South Korean government is delivering anything but holiday cheer. According to Yonhap, the presidential office was set to hold an emergency meeting with top government officials later Thursday to address a recent data breach at the company, signaling the gravity of the situation.

"There is widespread understanding within the government about the seriousness of the breach," an informed source said, asking not to be identified. "Given the gravity of the issue, the meeting will take place even on the holiday." The move suggests how seriously President Lee Jae Myung takes the issue.

A High-Stakes Holiday Summit

The meeting was set to be chaired by Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy. Attendees include Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, Personal Information Protection Commission Chair Song Kyung-hee, Korea Media Communications Commission Chair Kim Jong-cheol, and Fair Trade Commission Chair Ju Biung-ghi. Officials from investigative agencies, such as the National Police Agency, are also expected to attend, according to the source.

Scrutiny May Extend to US Lobbying

Notably, the reported attendance of Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and officials from the National Security Office suggests the government's probe may expand to include Coupang's lobbying activities in the United States. This follows President Lee Jae Myung's criticism of the U.S.-listed e-commerce giant on December 11, when he said, "Those people are not afraid of punishment at all."