Kim Young-hoon, Minister of Employment and Labor (MOEL), said, "(If a Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) employee) contacts a civil servant who has moved to Coupang, I ordered them to 'know you will be ruined.'"
The Minister said at a Coupang hearing held at the National Assembly on the 31st, "At the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), five grade-5 and grade-6 civil servants were collectively recruited by Coupang in June," and answered as such to a question from Rep. Jeong Hye-gyeong of The Progressive Party, who said, "The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) must investigate Coupang's concealment of deaths from overwork going forward. How will you handle the issue of contact with internal employees?"
The Minister said, "Right before the last presidential election, Coupang recruited lower-ranking staff evenly from six regional employment and labor offices," and said that instructions were given to employees not to contact them.
Rep. Jeong also said of the Korea Fair Trade Commission, "A former Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Director was recruited as a senior executive at Coupang just four months after retirement," adding, "Decisions such as suspending Coupang's business are made at the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC). Isn't this a structure where influence can be exerted through government relations lobbying?"
In response, Ju Biung-ghi, chair of the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC), said, "Contact with former Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) employees must be reported or it results in disciplinary action," adding, "We have also strengthened disciplinary rules to firmly uphold organizational discipline in that area."
Rep. Jeong said, "All ministries need to know that Coupang has a pervasive lobbying network," adding, "Only by creating an atmosphere where people cannot even make a phone call can we set Coupang straight."