Police Examine Laptop From Former Employee Seoul Metropolitan Police’s cyber unit is conducting a forensic analysis of a laptop that Coupang voluntarily submitted, which is owned by a former employee suspected of the leak [2]. Investigators aim to confirm the device’s ownership, its role in the breach, and whether any data tampering occurred during submission [2]. Police chief Park Jeong‑bo noted the analysis will determine the leak’s scope once all secured evidence is reviewed [1].

Coupang Identifies Suspect and Recovers Limited Data Coupang announced that forensic evidence points to the former employee, who allegedly confessed and described how he accessed customer records using stolen security keys [1][2]. The company recovered personal information from roughly 3,000 accounts, all of which were later deleted and never transmitted outside the firm [1][2]. No third‑party sharing of the data was found, according to Coupang’s statements [1].

Authorities Question Company’s Evidence Disclosure Police claim Coupang handed over the laptop but did not provide its internal analysis of the device during questioning, describing the omission as unusual [1]. The agency warned it could hold the e‑commerce giant accountable if illegal manipulation or concealment is uncovered [1]. Additionally, investigators are reviewing Coupang’s unconventional recovery method, which involved divers retrieving the laptop without police coordination [2].

Scope of Leak Confined to Thousands of Accounts The investigation so far indicates that only about 3,000 customer records were saved, limiting the breach’s impact compared with the platform’s 34 million users [1]. Authorities will finalize the extent of compromised data after completing forensic examinations of all evidence, including the suspect’s laptop [2]. The case remains open pending verification of whether any additional data was accessed or exfiltrated.