SEOUL—In a dramatic disclosure before the National Assembly on Wednesday, an incumbent senior prosecutor publicly accused his superiors of ordering a non-indictment decision in a high-profile labor case involving e-commerce giant Coupang, alleging they suppressed key evidence to shield the company.

Senior Prosecutor Moon Ji-seok, who was in charge of the investigation, appeared as a reference witness before the parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. His testimony broke the silence surrounding the "Coupang Fulfillment Service (CFS) severance pay scandal," which had fueled public suspicion of the prosecution's lenient treatment of the conglomerate.

Superiors Allegedly Gave 'No Charges' Directive 

The case centers on allegations that CFS, Coupang's logistics subsidiary, unlawfully revised its employment rules, specifically introducing a "reset rule" in May 2023. This change effectively denied severance pay to day laborers by resetting their continuous service period if their weekly working hours dipped below 15 hours for a four-week period, despite having worked for over a year. The Ministry of Employment and Labor had initially referred the case to the prosecution in January with a recommendation to indict CFS officials for violating the Workers' Retirement Benefit Guarantee Act. However, in April, the prosecution issued a decision of non-prosecution (no charges).

During the audit, Prosecutor Moon Ji-seok was directly asked by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Joo-young whether he had agreed with the non-prosecution decision. With a visibly trembling voice, Moon replied, "I did not agree."

Moon then confirmed suspicions that his superiors had directed the outcome, stating, "Guidelines for a no-charges investigation were delivered, and according to those guidelines, the results of the key seizure and search were omitted before the report was submitted to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, leading to the final non-prosecution decision."

He claimed that both he and the former lead prosecutor had agreed that Coupang's rule change was illegal and should result in an indictment, reporting their opinion to Deputy Chief Prosecutor Kim Dong-hee. Moon testified that Kim reportedly dismissed their view, saying, "This is clearly a no-charges case, and other branches are all handling it as no-charges. Don't waste your energy."

Furthermore, Moon alleged that former Bucheon Branch Chief Eom Hee-jun had called the newly assigned lead prosecutor into a separate meeting in February to personally deliver the "no-charges guideline," a highly unusual intervention given that the Chief Prosecutor had not yet reviewed the case file.

Call for Justice for Workers 

Throughout his testimony, the prosecutor was seen crying and choking up, visibly emotional as he spoke. He explained his decision to come forward by stating, "I judged that it was wrong, and that securing the rights of the workers, even if it is for a mere 2 million Korean won in severance pay, was the right thing to do."

Moon concluded by emphasizing his conviction: "I believe the prosecution should have indicted Coupang. I hope the socially disadvantaged workers receive their severance pay quickly, and I hope all public officials who acted inappropriately will receive punishment corresponding to their wrongdoing."

Moon Ji-seok's courageous public "conscience confession" has sent shockwaves through the judicial system and the political arena, bringing to light long-standing criticisms regarding the influence of power and potential selective justice within South Korea's prosecution service. The revelation is expected to trigger a swift, high-level internal probe and intensify calls for comprehensive reform and greater accountability for prosecutorial misconduct.

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