Dark-Web Anxiety Surges in Korea After Coupang Leak Affects Tens of Millions (Image courtesy of PICRYL/CCL)
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — A surge of South Koreans are scrambling to determine whether their personal information is circulating on the dark web following Coupang’s massive data leak, newly released government data shows.
According to figures submitted by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) to Rep. Lee Jeong-heon of the Democratic Party, users ran 107,802 searches on KISA’s “Check If Your Data Was Leaked” service between Nov. 28 and Dec. 11 — a 717 percent increase from the same period a year earlier.
The spike came after Coupang acknowledged on Nov. 29 that the personal information of 33.7 million users had been exposed — far surpassing the initially reported 4,500 cases.
KISA’s service allows individuals to verify whether their account credentials are being traded on the dark web. After email authentication, users may check up to 30 accounts per day. If a breach is detected, the system provides guidance on safer password practices and account deletion options.
The photo shows the personal information exposure notification text message that Coupang sent to affected customers on November 30. (Yonhap)
Concerns about secondary fraud or identity theft have also surged. Data from the Korea Association for ICT Promotion (KAIT) shows that requests for identity-related protective services have more than doubled during the same period.
Applications for KAIT’s “Subscription Status Inquiry” — which lets users see all mobile and wired telecom accounts opened under their name — reached 313,362, up 219 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, applications for the “Mobile Service Activation Restriction” program — which blocks new lines from being opened under a user’s name — hit 462,682, a 273 percent jump.
Rep. Lee criticized Coupang’s response to the breach.
“Public anxiety over data exposure and secondary harm is sharply rising,” he said. “Coupang must stop remaining silent and urgently provide transparent information and meaningful compensation measures.”
The company has not yet announced detailed remedies for affected users.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
