Six hundred twenty citizens who suffered damage from the Coupang personal data leak will pursue collective dispute mediation. They demanded compensation of at least 300,000 won per person and measures to prevent a recurrence.
MIBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), the Korea Consumer Agency and other civic groups held a press conference at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 10 and announced plans to file applications for collective dispute mediation.
They plan to submit applications for collective dispute mediation to the Personal Information Protection Commission Dispute Mediation Committee and the Korea Consumer Organization Council Voluntary Dispute Mediation Committee, with a total of 620 people participating.
According to People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), a total of 620 people applied during the recruitment period held on the 3rd to the 8th.
Civic groups including MIBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society said, "Given that there is no class action system in place and punitive damages do not function in the current situation, we will swiftly draw up a mediation recommendation through dispute mediation applications."
They plan to demand compensation of 300,000 won per person for general and withdrawn members, and 500,000 won per person for Wow membership members. They judged that names, phone numbers and addresses, as well as shared entrance passwords, were leaked.
Regarding why the compensation demand is higher than existing precedents, Kim Ju-ho, head of the livelihood economy team at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), said, "In existing lawsuits, compensation has usually been around 100,000 won, but this case is a clear man-made disaster."
Civic groups also plan to include allegations of Coupang's slow response and concealment in the mediation applications. Coupang identified the leak on Jan. 16 but did not notify consumers until the 28th.
Allegations of concealing the leak were also raised. Coupang left out the shared entrance password leak from its initial notice, then acknowledged part of it during a pending issue inquiry at the Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee on Feb. 2.
There were also calls for the government and the National Assembly to step in. Chung Ji-yeon, secretary-general of the Korea Consumer Federation, argued, "If Coupang rejects the mediation proposal, the government and the National Assembly must respond responsibly."