After getting warrant for Coupang data breach suspect, prosecutors seeking China's help to extradite
Published: 07 Jan. 2026, 20:50
![Jung Sung-ho, the Minister of Justice, left, talks with Supreme Court Justice Administration Chief Chun Dae-yup during a full session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the afternoon of Jan. 7 at the National Assembly. [LIM HYUN-DONG]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/01/07/b1bc3f46-f554-41b7-bbbb-99157cf0dcb0.jpg)
Jung Sung-ho, the Minister of Justice, left, talks with Supreme Court Justice Administration Chief Chun Dae-yup during a full session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the afternoon of Jan. 7 at the National Assembly. [LIM HYUN-DONG]
Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho said prosecutors obtained a court-issued arrest warrant in December 2025 for a Chinese former Coupang employee identified as a suspect in the e-commerce company’s massive personal data breach, and have requested mutual legal assistance in criminal matters from China.
Jung made the remarks Wednesday at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee while answering a question from People Power Party Rep. Kwak Kyu-taek.
“On Dec. 8 last year, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office obtained an arrest warrant from the court for the Chinese suspect in the Coupang case and asked the International Criminal Police Organization [Interpol] to issue a red notice,” Jung said.
Jung added that prosecutors sent a request for mutual legal assistance to China on Dec. 16, 2025, and that judicial police officers are tracking the suspect and confirming the facts.
Kwak criticized the government for doing nothing, saying it should ask the Chinese government to quickly extradite the former Coupang employee, who he claimed stole the personal information of 37 million Koreans.
“Since the Korea-China extradition treaty was signed, China has not complied with a single extradition request from Korea, but added that the government would do its best to handle the necessary procedures,” said Jung.
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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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