Marketplace Morning Report The data breach that hit two-thirds of a country
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Dec 29, 2025 Archana Shukla and Joe Tidy, on-the-ground BBC reporters, delve into a massive data breach that affected Coupang, South Korea's leading e-commerce platform, impacting two-thirds of the population. Shukla reveals a shocking compensation deal of $1.18 billion for customers. They discuss the breach's delayed detection, suspicions of insider involvement, and the wider context of cyberattacks in 2025. Tidy highlights the rise of teenage hacking culture and stresses the urgent need for companies to bolster their defenses against social engineering threats.
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Scale Of The Coupang Breach
- Coupang's breach exposed data for almost two-thirds of South Korea's population, though the company later said only 3,000 accounts were stolen.
- The incident revealed how widespread account data can be on major platforms and the public scale of modern breaches.
Months-Long Undetected Intrusion
- The breach allegedly began in June but wasn't discovered until November, a delay the CEO apologised for.
- Archana Shukla noted earlier inspections flagged about 4,500 accounts with unusual activity before the public disclosure.
Insider Access As A Key Risk
- Authorities believe a former Coupang employee with access to authentication systems copied data onto a personal computer.
- The company says credit card details and passwords were not accessed and the ex-employee has not sold the data to third parties.