Kim Byung-kee, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 17th issued a statement on the alleged "Coupang lunch," saying it was "a meeting to warn against excessive government relations work." The allegation is that on Sept. 5, a month before the National Assembly audit, Kim had an expensive lunch with then-Coupang CEO Park Dae-jun and Vice President Min Byung-gi, head of external relations in charge of National Assembly affairs, and made inappropriate requests at the meeting.
In response, the People Power Party said, "We should call the floor leader as a witness at the Coupang hearing to verify whether the allegations are true." The Progressive Party also said, "The floor leader should apologize to the public for inappropriate conduct." People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) said, "Regarding the lunch bill, violations of the Kim Young-ran Act and the Political Funds Act could be at issue."
◇Kim Byung-kee: "Only warned about government relations work… not related to the National Assembly audit"
On this morning, Floor Leader Kim Byung-kee posted a statement on Facebook regarding the "Coupang lunch" controversy. It was the first official response six days after the allegation was raised on the 11th.
Kim said, "I warned the Coupang CEO against expanding the government relations organization and, in particular, engaging in excessive government relations work toward the National Assembly." This is effectively a rebuttal to a recording released the same day in which former Coupang CEO Park Dae-jun, in a call with a senior company official right after the lunch, said, "Rep. Kim Byung-kee showed something, but I thought it wouldn't be good for the company, so I looked away. I declined."
Kim said, "There are claims that my former aide who joined Coupang has been trading on my name, so I asked that, regarding the floor leader's office work going forward, they not meet the floor leader's office staff or use my name to conduct government relations work." He added, "In that process, I only showed materials related to damage I suffered. Those materials have nothing to do with Coupang's business."
Kim also said the lunch with Coupang was unrelated to the National Assembly audit. He said, "Whether Chairman Kim Beom-suk is called as a witness for the audit is decided by the standing committee, and I made it clear I would not be involved," adding, "In fact, Chairman Kim was adopted as a witness for the audit."
Kim further said, "At the lunch, I asked for improvements to Coupang's labor conditions, including industrial accidents, overwork and industrial accident deaths at logistics centers and among delivery drivers, and I asked Coupang to help with trade negotiations with the United States," adding, "I only did what I should as a lawmaker and as the ruling party's floor leader."
◇Opposition: "Must appear as a hearing witness" Civic group: "Possible violations of Kim Young-ran Act and Political Funds Act"
Lawmakers of the People Power Party, at a "Coupang affair" hearing held by the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee of the National Assembly, demanded that Floor Leader Kim Byung-kee appear as a witness. Rep. Shin Sung-beom of the People Power Party said, "There are claims that the floor leader met the head of an audited agency and sought favors in personnel matters—are we going to let that pass without verification?"
The Progressive Party said in a commentary, "A meeting with Coupang, already at the center of social criticism, is inappropriate conduct that cannot be explained away by any words," adding, "It is a time when even a humble apology would be insufficient, yet the continued insistence on having nothing to hide shows a failure to properly see the anger of public sentiment."
Earlier, on the 16th, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) said, "A closed-door meeting with corporate executives who are parties to pending issues right before the National Assembly audit is inappropriate in itself," adding, "There is also the possibility of violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act or the Political Funds Act."
According to a CBS report, about 700,000 won was paid for the lunch. If, as Kim explained, "at least five people" dined, that would amount to up to 140,000 won per person, raising concerns of violating the Kim Young-ran Act, which caps a public official's meal expense at 50,000 won per person. Kim has not clearly disclosed who paid for the lunch or the exact number of attendees. Some say this could weigh on his leadership going forward.