Massive Fine Fuels Consumer Lawsuits Against E-commerce Giant
Following a significant data breach affecting 37.5 million users, e-commerce platform Coupang has been issued a substantial fine of 62.47 billion Korean Won by the Personal Information Protection Commission. This penalty, reportedly the largest ever imposed for a single data leak incident, is now accelerating a wave of consumer-led class-action lawsuits seeking damages.
The administrative body’s decision, which found issues with Coupang’s data protection measures and incident response, is expected to serve as a key piece of evidence in the ongoing legal battles.
Legal Action Intensifies Following Regulatory Fine
Lawyers representing consumers are actively submitting the Personal Information Protection Commission’s findings as evidence in court. On March 16th, legal sources confirmed that the law firm Jihyang submitted documentation related to the penalty to the court on March 12th, following its announcement by the commission.
A representative from Jihyang stated, “We have requested Coupang to specify what personal information was leaked in detail.” The class-action lawsuit handled by Jihyang currently involves 1,995 Coupang users, including an individual identified as Mr. Kang.
During the third public hearing on March 12th, the plaintiffs’ intent to pursue legal action was re-examined. Law firm LKB & Partners also submitted an opinion on March 11th, directly addressing the commission’s fine.
LKB & Partners has filed five class-action lawsuits with the Seoul Central District Court since December of last year, representing approximately 6,400 plaintiffs. The firm is currently recruiting participants for its sixth lawsuit.
Another law firm, ILRO, is also slated to submit its opinion regarding the fine this week. ILRO is representing 280,000 plaintiffs in its ongoing lawsuits.
Legislative Developments and Further Legal Pursuits
A spokesperson for ILRO noted, “A bill related to class-action lawsuits is currently under discussion in the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee.” The outcome of this legislation could potentially influence court decisions.
Law firm HOIN also submitted preliminary documents to the court on March 12th concerning the Personal Information Protection Commission’s ruling. HOIN reported gathering around 20,000 participants for its lawsuit initiated in December of last year.
More Law Firms Consider Action as Deadlines Approach
Several law firms that have not yet submitted their opinions are reportedly considering their options regarding the timing and submission of their filings.
Law firm NOBA plans to submit its opinion once the first court hearing date is set. NOBA has filed two class-action lawsuits with 20,000 participants each and is currently accepting applications for a third lawsuit.
Law firm DOUL is also evaluating whether to submit an opinion. DOUL is leading seven class-action lawsuits with a total of over 20,000 participants.
Some entities are still in the process of recruiting plaintiffs or preparing to file their cases. Law firm WONTEU, which has received approximately 100 applications, is considering filing a lawsuit following the announcement of the fine.
While most lawsuits are being processed through the Seoul Central District Court, some have been filed with the Seoul Eastern District Court. Law firm DAERYUN’s lawsuit includes 3,566 participants, and law firm BEONHWA’s lawsuit involves 9,500 participants.
