Coupang Chairman's instructions to hide labor accident records confirmed

South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor has confirmed that Coupang Inc. Chairman Bom Kim issued inappropriate instructions to ensure no records remained of the intense labor performed by Jang Deok-jun, a logistics center worker who died of acute myocardial infarction in 2020.

Following these instructions, Coupang staff reportedly analyzed CCTV footage to isolate only scenes of Jang taking breaks, such as drinking water or using the restroom, to minimize the appearance of heavy workload. While the Ministry confirmed these actions and the existence of a list used for re-employment screening, it decided to refer the case to prosecutors with a non-indictment opinion. The Ministry cited the expiration of the five-year statute of limitations and stated that the actions did not meet the specific legal threshold for “concealment of industrial accidents” under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, as the accident had been reported to authorities.

In a broader inspection of Coupang affiliates, the Ministry identified 206 violations of labor laws, resulting in 61 cases for judicial processing and approximately 1.96 billion won in fines. Labor groups and the victim's family have strongly criticized the decision, arguing that the Ministry provided Coupang with an immunity and failed to properly investigate how the statute of limitations expired without adequate action.