Amid Ongoing Coupang Luncheon Controversy... Kim Byungki Refutes, "Meeting Was Not a Problem"

Kim: "Is a meal considered lobbying, but having tea or a brief meeting is acceptable?"
Denies allegations of violating the Kim Young-ran Act and Coupang personnel favoritism

Kim Byung-ki, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, addressed the controversy surrounding his luncheon last September with Park Dae-jun, then-CEO of Coupang, and Vice President Min Byung-ki. He stated, "I absolutely do not agree with the claim that simply meeting with Coupang was a problem." He also denied allegations of violating the Kim Young-ran Act (the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act) and denied accusations that he had lobbied for unfavorable personnel decisions regarding a Coupang executive who was formerly a member of his staff. Despite his explanations through social networking services (SNS) and other channels, the controversy has not subsided, prompting him to take a more proactive stance in defending himself.

During a tea time with reporters after the Policy Coordination Meeting held at the National Assembly that afternoon, Floor Leader Kim remarked, "If you meet at a restaurant, does that mean you were being lobbied? Is it okay to have tea? Then is it only acceptable to meet briefly? If so, nothing would be allowed," adding, "As a member of the National Assembly, I meet anyone, no matter the circumstances."

Recently, reports surfaced that on September 5, ahead of the National Assembly audit, Floor Leader Kim met with CEO Park at a hotel restaurant, where they had a meal worth about 700,000 won, and that he intervened in the personnel matters of a Coupang executive who was formerly his aide.

Initially, the controversy centered on whether the 700,000-won meal constituted a violation of the Kim Young-ran Act, and whether it was appropriate to meet with the head of an audited institution ahead of the parliamentary audit. However, more recently, suspicions have persisted that Floor Leader Kim may have requested unfavorable treatment for a Coupang executive who was formerly his aide and whom he had previously dismissed.

In response, Floor Leader Kim has actively explained via SNS, stating, "I ate pasta that cost 38,000 won," "I was simply doing my job," "I cautioned against excessive external affairs work," and "The personnel action at Coupang was unrelated." Nevertheless, even within the broader progressive camp-including the Justice Party and People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy-there have been calls for an apology.

Kim Byung-ki, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Policy Coordination Meeting held at the National Assembly on December 18, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Floor Leader Kim mentioned that, during the luncheon, he spoke to the business leaders about the need to support the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. He said, "At that time, my main topic of discussion was the trade agreement. The agreement had not yet been finalized. I asked the business leaders to provide support at the corporate level to ensure the agreement would be successful. In that context, I also mentioned that business owners would be called to the parliamentary audit."

Regarding the conversation about hiring his former aides as Coupang executives, he explained, "I have no issue with them working as Coupang executives, but there was an instance where one of them tried to meet with my office staff," claiming that he pointed out this inappropriate behavior. When asked about reports that two of his former aides had been hired as Coupang executives, he clarified that one of the two had not yet been hired at the time of the luncheon.

As for the allegation that his aide was dismissed after secretly recording and sharing messages exchanged among his aides via Telegram Messenger, Floor Leader Kim said, "If those making these allegations and criticisms knew how I legally obtained the information, they would be devastated," adding, "I will make it public if necessary."

He further explained that the Telegram Messenger in question contained content involving the secret recording of a female district council member, sexual harassment, and remarks about Floor Leader Kim's family.