Actions Taken After Joint Hearing
Three Including Bom Kim Face Non-Attendance Charges
Four Including Harold Rogers Face Perjury Charges
On December 31, the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee decided to file charges against seven current and former Coupang executives, including Bom Kim, Chairman of Coupang Inc., and Harold Rogers, Acting CEO of Coupang, for violating the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act.
Harold Rogers, CEO of Coupang, is attending the 'Coupang Joint Hearing' held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 29th. 2025.12.30 Photo by Kang Jinhyung
On this day, the committee held a plenary session after completing the 'Coupang Incident Joint Hearing' together with lawmakers from related standing committees such as the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, and the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, and passed the resolution. Lawmakers from the People Power Party, who had declared their intention not to participate in the hearing, did not take part in the vote.
The committee decided to apply charges of non-attendance under the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act to Chairman Kim, Vice President Kim Yuseok, and former CEO Kang Hansung, who were absent from the hearing for two consecutive days.
Acting CEO Rogers, former CEO Park Daejun, Vice President Cho Yongwoo, and Auditor Yoon Hyeyoung were included in the list of those to be reported for perjury and other violations under the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act.
At the hearing the previous day, Acting CEO Rogers responded that he had met with a suspect in a personal information leak case under the direction of the Korean government (the National Intelligence Service). In response, the National Intelligence Service stated, "We have never given any instructions to Coupang," and requested that Rogers be charged with perjury.
As with the previous day, sharp exchanges continued between Acting CEO Rogers and lawmakers at the hearing. The key issue was whether Coupang had conducted its own investigation into the matter without official consultation with the government.
When Assemblyman Jung Ilyoung of the Democratic Party of Korea criticized, "Why do you keep repeating only that you cooperated, like a robot or a parrot? Stop giving the same evasive answers," Acting CEO Rogers raised his voice, saying, "Do you find this amusing right now?"
The committee had also decided on December 17 to file charges against Chairman Kim and former CEO Kang for non-attendance. Chairman Kim is also facing a similar charge in the Political Affairs Committee, where a motion for indictment has been passed.
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