South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency, ministerial-level meeting on Christmas Day to address the fallout from a major personal data breach at e-commerce giant Coupang, underscoring growing concerns over cybersecurity, regulation and potential diplomatic implications.
A senior ruling-party official told Yonhap News Agency that there is a broad consensus within the government on the seriousness of the incident, adding that the decision to hold the meeting during a public holiday reflected the gravity of the situation.
The meeting was chaired by Kim Yong-beom, head of policy at the presidential office, and brought together senior officials from multiple ministries and agencies. Participants reportedly included the minister of science and ICT, the chair of the Personal Information Protection Commission, the heads of the broadcasting and communications regulator and the Fair Trade Commission, as well as senior law enforcement officials involved in the investigation.
Notably, officials from South Korea’s foreign ministry, the National Security Office and senior executives from the National Intelligence Service — which oversees cyber threats — were also in attendance, signaling that the government is treating the case as both a national security and diplomatic issue.
Officials believe the expanded scope of the meeting reflects concerns over allegations that Coupang may have engaged in lobbying efforts involving U.S. political and government figures. Some lawmakers have raised the possibility that the issue could spill over into U.S.–South Korea trade or regulatory discussions.
Against that backdrop, officials said the government is seeking to coordinate a unified response across ministries while closely monitoring the stance of U.S. authorities.
The heightened scrutiny has also extended to the National Assembly. A joint parliamentary hearing scheduled for Dec. 30–31, initially involving five standing committees, was recently expanded to include the foreign affairs committee, reflecting growing concern over both domestic and international lobbying activities tied to the case.
A presidential office official said there is a shared view within the administration that “any attempts to broadly downplay or contain the issue should not be tolerated,” adding that internal checks are under way to ensure no government staff had inappropriate contact with Coupang representatives.
Political observers note that the unusual decision to convene a high-level emergency meeting on a national holiday likely reflects the strong stance of President Lee Jae-myung. Earlier this month, during a policy briefing, Lee publicly criticized Coupang, accusing the company of violating regulations and acting as though it had little fear of punishment.
The case has intensified debate in South Korea over corporate accountability, data protection standards and the oversight of major platform companies with significant global exposure.
