Police refer Coupang 'blacklist' whistleblower Kim Jun-ho to prosecutors
In short
Gyeonggi Nambu police referred Kim Jun-ho (김준호), who disclosed an alleged Coupang Fulfillment Services reemployment blacklist, and one other person to prosecutors without detention. The charge is a violation of the Information and Communications Network Act, over Kim's alleged access to CFS's internal system using another person's account after he left the company. Police did not refer the breach-of-trust and trade-secret allegations CFS had made.
Read the full story 2 min read
Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency referred Kim Jun-ho (김준호), a former employee of Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS) (쿠팡풀필먼트서비스), and one other person to the Suwon District Prosecution Office without detention, Yonhap and Newsis reported on 22 October, citing the police announcement. The charge is a violation of the Information and Communications Network Act. Yonhap and Kyunghyang Shinmun said the referral took place the previous day. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kim, who worked in the HR team of a CFS regional center, is suspected of accessing CFS's internal system without authorisation after leaving the company and taking internal data. Yonhap and Newsis said he used the account of the other person referred, identified as A, who allowed its use. [ 2 , 3 ]
Police did not refer the other allegations CFS made when it filed its complaint, breach of trust and violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act. Yonhap said police found the charges not established after a legal review, and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that police recognised only the network act violation. Yonhap also said police judged that any reduction or exemption of punishment for public-interest whistleblowing is a discretionary matter for the court at trial, and that a former employee accessing an internal network with another person's account is itself an offence. [ 1 , 2 ]
In February 2024 Kim disclosed that CFS had kept a list to restrict the reemployment of 16,450 workers who passed through its logistics centers over about six years from September 2017. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the list, called the PNG list, held real names, contact details, work IDs and reasons for the restriction, and that journalists critical of Coupang's labour conditions were among those listed. CFS said the material was normal HR evaluation data and filed a complaint against Kim and others in 2024, which Yonhap dated to the end of February. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
After criticism from politicians and labour groups, CFS apologised at a National Assembly environment and labour committee hearing in January last year and withdrew its complaint. Kyunghyang Shinmun quoted CFS head Jeong Jong-cheol (정종철) as saying he felt sorry that personal information had been collected too broadly. The investigation continued because the offence is not one that requires the victim's complaint to prosecute. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
A separate case, filed in 2024 by labour and civic groups against CFS officials over the blacklist allegations under the Labor Standards Act and the Personal Information Protection Act among others, is being investigated by Songpa police station in Seoul. Kyunghyang Shinmun added that Chamyeo Yeondae (참여연대) said on 22 October it had submitted an opinion to the Gyeonggi Nambu police asking for a decision not to refer the whistleblowers. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The referral comes about two years after CFS filed its complaint, and although CFS withdrew it in January last year the investigation continued because the offence does not depend on the victim's complaint. A separate case over the blacklist allegations itself, filed by labour and civic groups, is still under investigation at Songpa police station.
Key facts
- Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency referred Kim Jun-ho, a former HR team employee at a CFS regional center, and one other person to the Suwon District Prosecution Office without detention for violating the Information and Communications Network Act. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The referral took place the day before the 22 October announcement. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Kim is suspected of accessing CFS's internal system without authorisation after leaving the company, using the account of the other referred person, identified as A, who allowed its use, and taking internal data. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Police did not refer the breach-of-trust and trade-secret leakage allegations that CFS made in its complaint, finding no grounds for them. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim disclosed in February 2024 that CFS kept a list to restrict the reemployment of 16,450 workers over about six years from September 2017. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A case filed in 2024 by labour and civic groups over the blacklist allegations, under the Labor Standards Act and the Personal Information Protection Act among others, is being investigated by Songpa police station in Seoul. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Police referred Kim Jun-ho and one other person to the Suwon District Prosecution Office without detention for violating the Information and Communications Network Act. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Police did not accept the breach-of-trust and trade-secret allegations CFS made when it filed its complaint. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- CFS withdrew its complaint against Kim after criticism, but the investigation continued because the alleged offence is not one that requires the victim's complaint to prosecute. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the prosecution will indict Kim and A. The documents report only the referral; no prosecution decision is given.
- Whether Kim's whistleblowing will reduce or exempt any punishment. Yonhap reported police said such a reduction or exemption is a discretionary matter for the court at trial.
- Chamyeo Yeondae's request that police decide not to refer the whistleblowers. Only Kyunghyang Shinmun mentions it, in a truncated passage, and it does not say how police responded.