According to Taiwanese outlet Commercial Times on Sept. 21 local time, Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs last month fined the company and its chief executive 750,000 Taiwan dollars (about 32.44 million won) each for violating the Personal Data Protection Act in connection with the Coupang Taiwan data breach, and ordered corrective measures.
The ministry said, however, that it did not apply provisions covering "serious cases," under which fines can reach up to 15 million Taiwan dollars (about 648.9 million won). The same penalty details are posted on the ministry's website, with the company name partially redacted.
The ministry has said it had been in contact with Coupang Taiwan since the data breach at Coupang in South Korea last November, and that it received a report from Coupang Taiwan after the South Korean government announced in February that about 200,000 Taiwanese users were also affected.
The names, email addresses, phone numbers and delivery addresses of 204,552 Taiwanese customers were reportedly accessed illegally.
The Commercial Times reported that "Coupang expressed gratitude for the Ministry of Digital Affairs' careful investigation and professional guidance, and said it respects the competent authority's objective judgment," adding that the company "has already paid the fines and taken remedial measures."
