Coupang’s interim CEO, Harold Rogers, concluded a 14-hour police interrogation early Saturday morning and departed from the Seoul Metropolitan Investigative Headquarters in Mapo. The questioning revolved around allegations of perjury during his testimony before the South Korean parliament in December regarding a massive data breach.
Rogers is accused of committing perjury during parliamentary hearings held on December 30th and 31st. The hearings focused on Coupang’s significant data breach, which impacted over 33 million customers in South Korea. Authorities are investigating whether Rogers provided false information to the parliament during his testimony.
During the hearings, Rogers stated that Coupang conducted its own investigation into a Chinese national suspected of involvement in the data breach. He also claimed that the company confiscated the individual’s laptop under the instructions of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), South Korea’s primary intelligence agency.
Police questioned Rogers extensively regarding these allegations, specifically focusing on the discrepancies between his testimony and the facts of the case.
Rogers emerged from the Seoul police investigative headquarters in Mapo at 3:25 a.m. and left without responding to questions from reporters. The investigation is ongoing, and further developments are expected.
This marks the second time Rogers has been questioned within a week as police intensify their investigation into the data breach, which Coupang, the US-listed e-commerce giant, belatedly disclosed in November. The probe seeks to determine the full extent of the breach and potential negligence or wrongdoing on Coupang’s part.
Looking ahead, police are likely to summon Rogers for another round of questioning. This upcoming interrogation will reportedly focus on suspicions of a cover-up in connection with the death of a Coupang worker at a logistics center in 2020. The authorities are exploring all possible angles related to Coupang’s operations and potential liabilities.
