May 21, 2025 – Adidas Korea has confirmed a security breach involving customer data, marking the second major data leak in the fashion industry in South Korea this month.
The sportswear company announced that the breach occurred through a third-party customer service provider. Personal data of customers who contacted Adidas service centers has been exposed.
On May 16, Adidas posted a notice on its official website, stating that the incident affected customers who made service inquiries in 2024 or earlier. The compromised information includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, and, in some cases, birthdates and home addresses.
“We have confirmed that there was unauthorized access to some consumer data through a third-party customer service provider,” Adidas said in a statement, according to BusinessKorea.
Adidas stressed that no sensitive financial data was affected. “Financial information such as passwords and payment-related details were not included,” the company added.
The company has notified all affected customers in Korea. It is now working closely with cybersecurity experts to investigate the breach and improve system security.
“We are taking this matter very seriously and are immediately conducting a comprehensive investigation in cooperation with information security specialists,” said an Adidas representative.
Adidas has also reported the breach to South Korean authorities and implemented additional security measures to help prevent future incidents.
Second Fashion Industry Breach in One Week
This breach follows a similar incident involving luxury fashion brand Dior. On May 13, Dior announced that its customer data had also been accessed without authorization. The attack occurred on January 26 but was only discovered on May 7.
Dior faced criticism for the delay in disclosing the breach. The compromised data included customer names, mobile numbers, email addresses, and sensitive purchase history.
Reports also say that Dior failed to report the breach promptly to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), raising concerns about compliance with data protection regulations.
Cybersecurity Concerns in Retail
The two incidents highlight a growing cybersecurity threat to retail and fashion brands. Experts warn that customer data, especially behavior and purchase patterns, is becoming a valuable target for attackers.
Security specialists recommend that affected customers remain alert for suspicious activity. They should watch for phishing emails or scams that use stolen data and consider changing passwords on other platforms where the same credentials may have been used.
