The interim CEO of Coupang underwent 12 hours of intensive police questioning in Seoul regarding allegations of evidence tampering related to a significant data breach at the e-commerce company. Harold Rogers, emerging from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, declined to comment on whether he acknowledged the charges or planned to leave the country. The breach, initially reported to impact 3,000 accounts by Coupang, is now suspected to have affected over 30 million users, leading to scrutiny of the company’s internal investigation.
Investigators are particularly focused on Coupang’s handling of a laptop allegedly involved in the breach, recovered in China from a former employee responsible for the incident. Despite submitting the device to the police, the company did not disclose its prior forensic analysis of the computer, prompting questions about their interactions with the suspect and evidence management. Rogers, who had previously evaded police summons, returned to South Korea after leaving on January 1 following a parliamentary hearing on the data leak.
Facing allegations of perjury for his parliamentary testimony and accusations of attempting to shield the company from liability in a worker’s death, Rogers reiterated Coupang’s commitment to cooperating with all ongoing government and police investigations. While speculation surrounds his potential departure after the interrogation, authorities are considering further questioning. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has refuted Rogers’ claim that the internal probe was at their directive, adding complexity to the unfolding situation.
