E-commerce giant Coupang is escalating its legal defense in a US lawsuit related to a significant data breach. The company has engaged top-tier US law firm Kirkland & Ellis to represent it in the case, signaling its commitment to addressing potential liability within the US court system.
Industry sources revealed on Monday that Coupang Inc., the US-listed parent company of the popular e-commerce platform, has appointed Kirkland & Ellis as legal counsel for a damages lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Kirkland & Ellis, renowned as the world’s largest law firm by revenue, boasting $8.8 billion in gross revenue in 2024, brings significant expertise to the case.
This decision follows a lawsuit initiated by SJKP, who filed a collective-action complaint earlier in February, seeking $5 million in damages from Coupang Inc. and Chair Bom Kim. The lawsuit stems from a data breach that impacted approximately 33 million Coupang customers in Korea.
SJKP alleges that Coupang failed in its duty to adequately protect personal data and improperly reduced spending on crucial security infrastructure. Although the data breach occurred in Korea, the law firm intends to hold senior executives at Coupang’s US headquarters accountable, asserting that they were responsible for key decisions concerning security policies, budgeting, and incident-response protocols.
Sources indicate that over 7,000 alleged victims have joined the case.
This legal battle unfolds amidst increasing regulatory scrutiny of Coupang’s operations in Korea and has contributed to tensions between Seoul and Washington concerning alleged discriminatory treatment of the US-listed company.
Harold Rogers, CEO of Coupang’s Korean unit, is scheduled to testify before the US House Judiciary Committee on Monday as part of an investigation into potential unfair targeting of an American firm operating internationally.
