South Korea

"위메프에 당했는데, 또"…'쿠팡 탈퇴' 불똥 튄 입점 상인

Newsis | Local Language | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | Corporate Corruption or Fraud

Coupang announced a large-scale personal information leak affecting approximately 33.7 million records, leading to a significant consumer backlash and a wave of users quitting the platform. More than 500,000 members in online communities are preparing class-action lawsuits, with 14 users already filing a damages claim seeking consolation money at the Seoul Central District Court.

Small merchants on Coupang are experiencing over 30% sales declines and face difficulties finding alternative platforms. Sellers, who heavily rely on Coupang for the majority of their business, express concern and frustration over the situation, noting a lack of communication and support from Coupang's management. One merchant highlighted repeated demands from Coupang for cost reductions and higher logistics incentives despite the platform’s current crisis.

Affected sellers are calling for compensation and aftercare measures from Coupang to address lost sales and customer retention. Coupang has yet to make a formal stance on compensating sellers, stating that such actions depend on proved sales drops and complaints. Experts emphasize the urgency of mitigating consumer anxiety while underscoring the importance of developing measures to compensate affected merchants to prevent further business losses.

Yonhap | English | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

The U.N. Command (UNC) reaffirmed that the armistice agreement remains a "binding framework" for governing access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. This statement followed South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young revealing that a senior presidential security official was recently denied entry to a war remains excavation site at White Horse Ridge within the DMZ.

Unification Minister Chung also referenced a similar incident in 2019 when a former unification minister was denied access to the civilian village of Daeseongdong inside the DMZ, highlighting growing concerns within the South Korean government that such access denials can no longer be ignored.

The UNC did not provide details on the recent denial but emphasized that all access requests are reviewed following established protocols to ensure safety, compliance, and regional stability. The UNC also encouraged close consultation with the South Korean government on any measures affecting the DMZ and underscored their commitment to joint peace-building efforts supporting shared security objectives.

The DMZ functions as a buffer zone approximately 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, established since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The UNC’s reaffirmation underscores the armistice agreement’s ongoing role in managing military and civilian activities in this sensitive area.

지마켓, 도용 의심 사고 피해고객 전원 환불 보상 결정

ZD Net Korea | Local Language | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | Privacy

Gmarket has decided to fully refund all customers affected by the suspected identity theft incident that occurred on November 29, 2025. The company aims to minimize customer inconvenience and is cooperating with investigative authorities to determine the cause of the incident. Customers confirmed to have unauthorized payments will be informed about the compensation process, and Gmarket will actively support their reporting to relevant agencies. The company will provide advance compensation on moral grounds and encourage active reporting to help prevent further theft crimes.

The incident is believed to be an account-takeover crime, where illegally obtained personal information from outside sources was used to access accounts and make unauthorized payments, exploiting the widespread use of the same login credentials across multiple sites. In response, Gmarket has launched a password-change recommendation campaign targeting customers who have not updated their passwords within the past month. The company is also providing guidance on creating secure passwords through login screen messages and customer center notices.

Additionally, Gmarket plans to expand additional authentication procedures, recommending two-step authentication during login and implementing enhanced identity verification measures for high-sensitivity product categories, such as cash-convertible gift certificates. A company official emphasized the priority of ensuring a safe shopping environment and the commitment to strengthening security measures to prevent secondary damages like account takeover and phishing incidents.