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Coupang offers $35 vouchers, but users miffed as only $7 is usable for main platform or food

Published: 29 Dec. 2025, 19:06

A person walks by a Coupang delivery truck in Seoul on Dec. 28. [YONHAP]

Coupang announced Monday it will compensate each customer affected by its recent massive data breach with vouchers worth 50,000 won ($35), following criticism over the company’s response to the incident.

In a press release, Coupang said the compensation plan applies to all 33.7 million accounts that received a data breach notification last month. Both Coupang Wow members and non-subscribers will receive the same value in vouchers. Users who closed their accounts after receiving the breach notification will also be included.

The 50,000 won will be split into multiple vouchers usable across different services on Coupang’s platform: 5,000 won usable at Rocket Delivery, Rocket Direct Purchase, Seller Rocket and Marketplace; 5,000 won for Coupang Eats; 20,000 won for Coupang Travel; and 20,000 won for R. LUX, Coupang’s luxury goods mall.

Coupang said the total compensation plan is valued at 1.685 trillion won ($1.17 billion). The vouchers will be applicable when making purchases, with further details to be announced later.

Eligible customers will be able to check coupon information through the Coupang app starting Jan. 15, 2026. Users will also receive text message instructions on how to use the coupons.

“We deeply reflect on how much concern and distress the recent data breach has caused our customers,” said Harold Rogers, acting CEO of Coupang, said in the statement released in Korean on Monday. “This compensation package is a responsible action taken with our customers in mind.”

A Coupang delivery worker is seen moving packages from a delivery truck in Seoul on Dec. 28. [WOO SANG-JO]

“This incident has renewed our commitment to putting customers at the center of everything we do,” Rogers continued. “We will take full responsibility and strive to be a company our customers can trust. Once again, we sincerely apologize.”

However, the compensation plan has already drawn backlash. Critics say only 5,000 won is usable on Coupang’s main platform — the most widely used service — while the remaining amount of the vouchers are limited to niche services such as luxury goods or travel, which typically involve higher price points, prompting concerns that the scheme is designed to induce additional spending.

“Only a small portion of users shop on R. LUX, yet Coupang is restricting where the coupons can be used. It’s absurd to call this compensation,” said a Coupang Wow membership customer surnamed Kim. “I didn’t care much before, but I’ve now decided to join the class action lawsuit against Coupang.”

Some suspect the move is aimed at enticing former users to rejoin the platform.

Messages criticizing Coupang for the personal information breach are seen posted on Coupang's headquarters in Songpa District, southern Seoul on Dec. 29. [JANG JIN-YOUNG]

“I was willing to return if Coupang had investigated the issue thoroughly and taken proper responsibility, but instead they’re just trying to save face,” said Kwon Yu-jin, who said she deleted her account after the breach. “This compensation feels like a slap in the face to loyal users.”

Experts say Coupang’s compensation plan is unlikely to regain consumer trust following the massive data breach.

“It is inappropriate for the compensation to be limited to coupons for Coupang services that are not widely used by the general public,” said Lee Eun-hee, professor emeritus of consumer studies at Inha University. “From the consumer’s perspective, the coupons may feel more like promotional material or a marketing ploy than actual compensation.”

Also on Monday, the government held a task force meeting on Coupang, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon, and issued a strong warning to the company.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon speaks during a ministry meeting at the government complex in Sejong on Dec. 22. [NEWS1]

“Coupang’s leak of more than 30 million domestic customer records is a clear violation of Korean law. If any legal violations are confirmed, the government will take stern action in accordance with the law and principles,” Bae said. “This task force will act as one team to investigate every suspicion and ensure the public can feel safe again.”

The task force plans to coordinate a multiagency response. The Science Ministry, the National Police Agency, the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Financial Services Commission will each investigate different aspects of the case, including the cause of the breach, the scale of the leaked data and the seizure and analysis of evidence. Investigators will also work with international counterparts to track and apprehend those responsible.

The Fair Trade Commission will assess whether there was unauthorized use of personal information and whether Coupang’s response sufficiently addressed consumer harm, which will inform its decision on whether to impose a business suspension.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will conduct an inspection of Coupang’s night work conditions and its protections for employee health.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]