Police launched a compulsory investigation into allegations that lawmaker Kim Byung-kee, who left the Democratic Party of Korea, meddled in personnel matters at Coupang.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit said it has been conducting searches and seizures at two locations since 9:40 a.m. on the 29th: Coupang's headquarters in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and the Coupang Social Contribution Committee in Seocho-gu.
Ahead of the National Assembly audit in September last year, lawmaker Kim met with Park Dae-jun, then Coupang CEO, and others, had an expensive meal, and then allegedly demanded that Coupang disadvantage his former aides who had taken jobs at the company.
A former aide claimed to have actually suffered personnel disadvantages, but lawmaker Kim denied the allegations as untrue.
The civic group Citizens' Action to Establish Judicial Justice filed a complaint on Dec. 18 last year accusing lawmaker Kim of obstruction of business by abuse of influence and violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
In connection with this, police summoned former CEO Park as a reference witness for questioning on the 8th.