The police investigating the suspicion that Naver’s sports broadcasting-related management data was leaked to its competitor Coupang Play has begun a mandatory investigation.
According to related industries on the 11th, the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency’s Security Investigation Department conducted a search and seizure on Coupang Play employee A, who was accused of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act.
The police reportedly sent investigators to Mr. A’s residence to secure electronic information and electronic devices necessary for the investigation. The police then executed a seizure warrant on the Coupang headquarters building in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
The police have been investigating after receiving a complaint from Mr. A, who worked at Naver, alleging that he had stolen Naver’s business secrets from Coupang when he moved to Coupang Play last year.
Coupang offers members who pay monthly membership fees (Wow Membership) the ability to watch the online video service (OTT) ‘Coupang Play’ for free. Coupang Play broadcasts not only soccer, but also sports such as F1 (racing), NFL (American football), and ONE Championship (fighting sports).
Prior to this, Naver, Korea’s largest portal site, has also been broadcasting various sports, including soccer and baseball, through the Internet.
The police suspect that Mr. A illegally exported trade secrets related to sports broadcasting that he learned while working at Naver to Coupang.
A Coupang official said, “It concerns personal allegations against a specific employee and has nothing to do with the company.”
(Photo = Yonhap News)
Reporter Lee Hwi-Kyung [email protected]
