[DigitalToday reporter Shin-hye Ahn] Coupang rebutted claims by People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and Lawyers for a Democratic Society that secondary damage occurred from a personal data leak after 7 suspected unauthorized payment cases were reported.

Coupang said on Feb. 23 that results from a joint government-private investigation team and a security company found no leak of payment information or passwords. It also said no secondary damage has been confirmed so far.

The statement followed comments earlier in the day by People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and Lawyers for a Democratic Society, which said they ran a Coupang victim-reporting center from Dec. 4 last year to Feb. 4 and received 7 reports of suspected unauthorized payments.

The two groups claimed the reporting center received multiple tips about misuse of personal customs clearance codes and unauthorized payments. They said secondary damage occurred, unlike Coupang's announcement on Dec. 7 and findings from the joint government-private probe released on Feb. 11 that explained payment information such as card or bank account numbers and personal customs clearance codes were not leaked in connection with a large-scale personal data breach.

They also said they asked the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to investigate 1 case in which the complainant wanted a probe by investigative authorities and submitted specific supporting materials.

Coupang said the civil groups' allegations of unauthorized payments are not true.

Coupang said the case that People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and the People’s Livelihood Economy Committee of Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) asked Seoul police to investigate was confirmed as a normal payment made on the same device the customer had used for a previous order.

Coupang also said it strongly regrets that unsubstantiated claims continue despite no secondary damage being confirmed, saying it is stoking consumer anxiety.

Coupang added it is urging a swift police investigation into the matter and will hold those behind baseless claims strictly accountable depending on the facts.