The South Korean Ministry of Employment has launched a formal inspection over Coupang and its affiliates following serious allegations of concealing industrial accidents. The core of the investigation centers around whether the company pressured workers and their families into settlements to prevent them from claiming industrial accident benefits. The ministry reported that the inspection will cover Coupang along with its logistics subsidiary, Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), its delivery subsidiary, Coupang Logistics Services (CLS), and approximately 100 delivery centers, aiming to address these troubling allegations.

Concerns have been raised that Coupang and its affiliates have been manipulating the process to avoid reporting accidents to labor authorities by persuading grieving families and employees not to file claims. The ministry's findings suggest a disconnect between reported fatal incidents, which numbered over 20 since the enforcement of stricter laws last year, and the low number of claims filed by bereaved families, totaling only five. This discrepancy has led to renewed scrutiny, especially after a National Assembly hearing on Coupang last December brought these issues into the spotlight.

The Minister of Employment, Kim Young-hoon, emphasized the necessity for proper oversight to uphold workers' rights and stated that actions infringing on workers' basic rights or concealing accidents should not be tolerated. As the ministry prepares to cross-analyze various data regarding emergency transport patients, claims for bereavement benefits, and investigation reports, there is a firm commitment to ensure compliance with legal norms and recommendations made based on previous inspections, signaling that accountability will be closely monitored moving forward.