Coupang’s U.S. headquarters positioned in downtown Seattle, Washington. Courtesy of Google Maps
SEATTLE — On a Pacific Northwest afternoon, the worldwide headquarters of Coupang sits tucked within the coronary heart of downtown Seattle, quiet and unassuming regardless of the storm of controversy unfolding an ocean away.
The constructing rises modern and glassy above the road, its home windows exhibiting a typical Seattle sky. A discreet signal identifies the corporate behind Korea’s dominant e-commerce empire, however there are not any crowds exterior, no seen signal of concern. Supply vans don’t line the block.
From the road, it’s laborious to think about that that is the command heart of an organization dealing with heightened scrutiny in Korea. There, customers are organizing to participate in authorized motion and asking for clear solutions after their private data was uncovered in an enormous information breach. Right here, the scene seems unchanged. Coupang’s U.S. media relations workforce has not responded to inquiries as of Tuesday.
Inside of Coupang’s U.S. headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Captured from BNBuilders
The distinction is noticeable. For Korean customers, the corporate’s identify is fueling on-line discussions and requires accountability. But at its U.S. hub, there may be little outward indication of these considerations. Work continues behind closed doorways.
Nonetheless, that is the place solutions might ultimately come from. Coupang is a U.S.-listed firm with international operations, and questions surrounding information safety and duty are unlikely to remain confined to 1 market.
