Permanent Special Prosecutor Summons Prosecutor Kim Donghee Over Alleged External Pressure to Dismiss Coupang Case

Kim: "One-sided claim... I trust the special prosecutor will uncover the truth"

Special Prosecutor Kwon Seop An, who will investigate the allegations of disposal of Gwanbongkwon sashes and the external pressure for non-prosecution of Coupang severance pay, expressed his determination at the special prosecution team plaque ceremony held at the office in Seocho-gu on December 6 last year. Photo by Yonhap News

On January 7, the permanent special prosecutor team led by An Kwonseop summoned Kim Donghee, a prosecutor at the Busan High Prosecutors' Office (then Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Bucheon District Prosecutors' Office), who is suspected of exerting external pressure to have the Coupang severance pay non-payment case dismissed without prosecution.

The special prosecutor's team is questioning Prosecutor Kim as a suspect on January 7, investigating allegations including abuse of authority and leaking official secrets.

Before the investigation, when asked by reporters whether he had any comments on Chief Prosecutor Moon Jiseok's claim of external pressure on the investigation, Prosecutor Kim stated, "That is Chief Prosecutor Moon's one-sided claim, and I trust the special prosecutor will uncover the truth."

Prosecutor Eom Heejun of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office (former Chief Prosecutor of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, Bucheon Branch) and Prosecutor Kim are accused of pressuring Chief Prosecutor Moon earlier this year to issue a non-prosecution decision while he was investigating allegations of Coupang's non-payment of severance pay. They are also suspected of providing investigation information, such as details of search and seizure operations and supplementary instructions from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, to Attorney Kwon Sunyoung, who represented Coupang.

Coupang has been under suspicion since May 2023 for allegedly changing its employment rules to the disadvantage of workers, resulting in the withholding of payments considered as severance pay.

Previously, the Bucheon District Prosecutors' Office decided not to prosecute the case in April last year, which involved Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), a Coupang logistics subsidiary, and concerned the non-payment of severance pay to daily workers. The case had been referred by the Central Regional Employment and Labor Office with a recommendation for indictment.

Chief Prosecutor Moon, during his tenure as head of the Criminal Division 3 at the Bucheon Branch of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, revealed that Prosecutors Eom and Kim omitted key evidence and pressured for a non-prosecution decision during the investigation into Coupang's non-payment of severance pay to daily workers.

However, Prosecutors Eom and Kim maintain that daily workers are not eligible for severance pay, so there was no issue with the non-prosecution decision, and that Chief Prosecutor Moon also attended the meeting where the non-prosecution decision was made, denying any external pressure.