Coupang's workplace injury cover-up was wrong, and the state has acknowledged it, labor minister says

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon said Tuesday that the government's decision to refer Coupang Inc's alleged workplace injury cover-up without a recommendation for indictment still amounted to a state acknowledgment that the company had acted wrongly.

"Even though it did not lead to indictment, the state has recognized that this was clearly wrongful conduct," Kim said at the Ministry of Employment and Labor's comprehensive national audit held by the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee.

He was responding to a question from lawmaker Jeong Hye-gyeong of the Progressive Party, who asked whether the minister believed Coupang had been held properly accountable.

"I am again sorry to the bereaved family for not being able to fully clear the name of the deceased," Kim said. "However, the fact that the law could not be applied does not make Coupang's wrongful conduct disappear. There is meaning in the state having confirmed it."

Kim acknowledged that some members of the public might remain unconvinced. "We said we used every authority available to the government in conducting the investigation, but I think there are citizens who cannot accept that," he said, adding that regulatory gaps and consistency issues identified during the probe had been referred for review.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced its investigation findings Thursday into circumstances suggesting Coupang had concealed key information to prevent a workplace injury ruling in the death of the late Jang Deok-jun, who died at home after completing a late-night shift at one of the company's logistics centers.

The ministry found that Coupang Inc Chairman Kim Bum-seok had instructed an associate to "make sure no record remains showing that Jang worked hard," and that a Coupang employee had edited closed-circuit television footage to show only scenes of Jang resting.

However, citing insufficient legal requirements and an expired statute of limitations, the ministry referred the workplace injury cover-up allegations without a recommendation for indictment. It separately imposed fines totaling about 1.96 billion won ($1.48 million) for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Labor Standards Act.

Kim rebuffed suggestions that the government had failed to impose proper punishment due to pressure from the United States. "This has no connection whatsoever to US pressure, lobbying or diplomatic considerations," he said in response to lawmaker Jeong's question about whether such concerns might be warranted.

"Throughout this investigation, there was no diplomatic interference or lobbying from the United States — none — and it never even crossed my mind," Kim said.