Minumsa Book Club Members' Phone Numbers Leaked... "We Will Take Full Responsibility Until the End"

Sent to About 4,000 Members by Mistake; Full Annual Membership Fee Refunded to Affected Readers
Compensation and Suspension of Text Messages Among Measures to Prevent Recurrence

Publisher Minumsa has issued an apology and begun compensation procedures after mistakenly sending the mobile phone numbers of 142 Minum Book Club members to other members during a text message dispatch process.

According to Minumsa on May 12, the incident occurred around 5 p.m. the previous day, when a notification about the suspension of a point service on the event website was being sent via text to Minum Book Club members. Due to an operational mistake, the mobile phone numbers of 142 members were included in the message, which was then sent to approximately 4,000 membership holders.

Minumsa stated that the exposed personal information was limited to mobile phone numbers and did not include other details such as names or addresses. The affected members whose numbers were disclosed received individual notification messages, and the company is currently contacting them by phone to offer apologies and explain follow-up actions.

Minumsa also requested that members who received the numbers delete the information and refrain from sharing or posting it with third parties. However, some members have criticized the guidance message for being overly forceful, as it referenced potential legal liability during this process.

In a notice posted on its website, Minumsa stated, "In our urgent efforts to manage the situation, the wording of our guidance was not sufficiently considerate," adding, "We acknowledge our shortcomings throughout this process and sincerely apologize to all readers who have been hurt."

Compensation for affected readers is also underway. Minumsa will fully refund the annual Minum Book Club membership fee to the 142 members whose numbers were exposed. In addition, the company is reviewing the introduction of automated processes to block the possibility of information leaks and has decided to halt all marketing and general service notification text messages until system improvements are complete to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

Minumsa said, "We feel a heavy sense of responsibility" and promised, "We will handle all aspects of this matter with responsibility until the very end."