Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, dismissed controversy over the propriety of a previously undisclosed luncheon with Park Dae-jun, the head of Coupang, in September that came to light on the 11th, saying, "What matters more than the meeting is the content of the conversation."
Kim wrote on Facebook the same day about reports of a closed-door luncheon with Coupang, "Meeting people is the job of a member of the National Assembly. I try to meet as many people as possible," and added, "It was not closed-door but 100% an open meeting. Four to five staff members, including the president, also came."
Kim said, "I understand the source of the information, but it is off the mark," adding, "Isn't the content of the conversation more important than the meeting? For reference, on July 16, I also visited a Coupang logistics center."
Earlier, CBS Nocut News reported that on Sept. 5, about a month before this year's National Assembly audit, Kim held a previously undisclosed two-hour-and-30-minute luncheon with Park at a restaurant inside a hotel near Yeouido in Seoul. The report said Min Byung-gi, executive vice president overseeing external relations, was present, and in the middle of the luncheon, Kim and Park continued a one-on-one conversation.
Ahead of the audit, Coupang has faced criticism over alleged prosecutorial pressure in a case involving unpaid severance for day laborers and issues of overwork-related deaths at logistics centers and among delivery drivers. The fallout is likely to continue depending on the specific purpose of the meeting and the content of the conversation.