As users of overseas direct purchases surged to reissue their personal customs clearance code (customs code) due to Coupang's personal information leak, the related site at one point became inaccessible.
The National Customs Information System (UNI-PASS) site began experiencing access disruptions on the afternoon of the 2nd. After 4 p.m., it at times could not be accessed at all.
The Korea Customs Service said, "There is currently heavy traffic for personal customs clearance code access, so use is not smooth," and added, "For service stabilization, we recommend use after 7 p.m." It went on, "If you visit a nearby customs office and fill out an application for a personal customs clearance code (PCCC), you can check and receive issuance."
The customs code is used when making direct purchases of overseas goods. It is a personal identification number that replaces a resident registration number. It can be checked or reissued through the Korea Customs Service UNI-PASS system.
After the Coupang personal information leak, posts spread quickly across online communities saying that unless the customs code is reissued, it could be misused on overseas shopping sites, driving a surge in UNI-PASS traffic.
Coupang CEO Park Dae-jun appeared at the National Assembly's Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee for a current issues inquiry that day and said, "So far, the investigation has found that personal customs clearance codes have not been leaked," but the remarks have not quelled customer anxiety.
According to data the office of Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Jeong Il-yeong received from the Korea Customs Service, the number of customs code reissuances was 123,302 on the 30th of last month. In just one day, it surpassed the reissuance count for January to October this year (111,045). The previous day's customs code reissuances rose further to 298,742.
The number of customs code terminations also jumped from a daily average of 10–20 to 3,851 on the 30th of last month and 11,312 the previous day. The number of customs code suspensions, which averaged 100 per day, exceeded 10,000 over two days.