Korea Fair Trade Commission Chairperson Ju Biung-ghi said on the 31st that the introduction of a class action system "can be sufficiently considered" in connection with Coupang's massive personal data leak.
The Chairperson said this at a hearing held at the National Assembly on "identifying the realities of Coupang's security breach and personal data leak, unfair transaction, and working conditions, and preparing measures to prevent recurrence." A class action system is a system in which, if some victims file a damages lawsuit against corporations and win, victims who did not participate in the lawsuit can receive the same compensation.
The Chairperson also said, "The Korea Fair Trade Commission is pursuing, as a policy, a group litigation system corresponding to the class action system." Group litigation is a lawsuit filed by consumer groups that meet certain requirements on behalf of consumers.
The Chairperson also said regulations on online platform corporations like Coupang should be strengthened. The Chairperson said, "Korea is in a situation where it cannot implement ex ante regulations that most advanced countries are adopting," adding, "Ex post regulation is also far too weak in terms of economic sanctions on corporations." The Chairperson added, "Global conglomerates like Coupang are being enabled by our society to make the most of practices such as labor exploitation, consumer deception, and exploitative practices among corporations."
The Chairperson added, "Ex post regulation must be strengthened as soon as possible, and the legislature should take the lead on ex ante regulation."