Labor minister blasts Coupang for failing to respond properly to incidents

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon sharply criticized Coupang on Monday, saying the company showed little awareness of its role in workplace accidents during recent government hearings.

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon, far right, answers questions from lawmakers during a joint hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 31, 2025. The session addressed recent security breaches, unfair trade practices and labor conditions at e-commerce giant Coupang. [NEWS1]

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon sharply criticized Coupang on Monday, saying the company showed little awareness of its role in workplace accidents during recent government hearings.

Speaking to reporters in the ministry’s pressroom in Sejong, Kim said, “Anyone can make mistakes, and accidents can happen. What matters is properly identifying the cause and putting preventive measures in place."

“The core issue is whether Coupang understands the root cause of these problems,” he continued. “Unfortunately, that was not evident in the hearing process, which is deeply regrettable.”

Kim’s rebuke of the company comes amid an ongoing investigation into a potential cover-up of the 2020 death of delivery worker Jang Deok-jun, who is believed to have died from overwork.

The minister also linked a recent major data breach to the company’s broader failure to acknowledge and address problems.

“When minor incidents happen, they need to be examined and treated to prevent larger accidents. Coupang has instead chosen to cover them up. Ultimately, this reflects how the company views people,” Kim said.

Coupang's logo at the company's headquarters in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 29 [JANG JIN-YOUNG]

Separately, Kim addressed growing concern over the sharp rise in the number of so-called resting youth — young people who are neither employed nor actively seeking work. The number has surpassed 700,000. He said the government is preparing a cross-ministerial response involving the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Blue House’s policy unit, the Labor Ministry, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

The Labor Ministry is currently analyzing its database of 1.52 million young people to classify different types of resting youth and will share its findings with related ministries. Kim also noted growing criticism of the term “resting,” which some view as pejorative, and said alternatives with more positive nuances such as “preparing” are being considered.

On the same day, the ministry’s legislative notice period for the enforcement ordinance of the Yellow Envelope Law ended. The bill is a revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act that seeks to limit employers’ ability to claim damages from labor unions and broaden the legal definition of “employer” in labor relations, particularly to protect subcontracted workers.

Kim suggested the ordinance may be revised, saying the government is reviewing feedback from business groups, labor unions and legal experts.

Business lobby groups have argued that the proposed ordinance would make it too easy for subcontracted workers to form separate bargaining units, potentially forcing companies to negotiate with hundreds of different unions. Labor groups, on the other hand, say the changes would impose unnecessary procedural hurdles that make negotiations more difficult.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM YEON-JOO [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]