[2025 Audit] Political Affairs Committee Requests Attendance of Coupang Chairman Kim Beomseok and KT Head of Information Security

Questions Raised Over Kidnapping and Detention of Koreans in Cambodia
When Asked, "Is ODA Appropriate?" Minister Responds, "We Will Take That Into Consideration"

The National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee has passed a resolution requesting the attendance of Kim Beomseok, Chairman of Coupang Inc., and Hwang Taeseon, Head of Information Security at KT, as witnesses and reference persons for the parliamentary audit.

Yonhap News Agency

At the full committee meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido on the 13th, the Political Affairs Committee approved the request for Chairman Kim and Hwang Taeseon, Head of Information Security at KT, to attend the parliamentary audit. Hwang has been requested to attend as a reference person on the 14th regarding the personal information leak incident, while Chairman Kim has been requested to attend as a witness on the 28th, the day of the comprehensive audit, in relation to unfair trade practices on online platforms.

The committee initially requested Chairman Kim’s attendance at the audit on the 14th, but he expressed his intention not to attend, citing his stay overseas. In response, during the morning session of the parliamentary audit, Committee Chair Yoon warned that if Kim fails to appear for the comprehensive audit, “legal action will have to be taken.”

According to the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly, a witness who fails to appear before the National Assembly without a valid reason may be subject to imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of between 10 million and 30 million won. Furthermore, the committee may issue an order to compel attendance and forcibly bring in a non-compliant witness by resolution. Refusing to comply with the order or deliberately evading receipt of the order may result in imprisonment for up to five years.

Meanwhile, at the committee meeting that day, many questions were directed at Yoon Changryeol, Minister for Government Policy Coordination, regarding the recent kidnapping and confinement of Korean nationals in Cambodia. Assemblyman Park Chandae of the Democratic Party stated, “I hope the Office for Government Policy Coordination will do its utmost to serve as a control tower so that the work of protecting overseas nationals by each agency-including the National Intelligence Service, National Police Agency, Ministry of Justice, and the Presidential Office task force-can be seamlessly coordinated.”

Minister Yoon responded, “We recognize the gravity of the situation,” adding, “Although the President has already given instructions, he has issued additional orders, and the Prime Minister shares the same awareness. The Office for Government Policy Coordination will do everything possible to resolve the issue.”

When Assemblyman Kang Minguk of the People Power Party pointed out that over 400 billion won in official development assistance (ODA) has been provided to Cambodia this year alone, questioning, “Is it right for taxpayers’ money to be spent while Korean citizens are dying?” Minister Yoon replied, “We will take that into consideration as well.”