Coupang, Gwan Bong-gwon Special Prosecutor Team Summon Prosecutor Moon Jiseok Who Exposed 'Non-prosecution Pressure' in Coupang Case

[Financial News] Moon Jiseok, the chief prosecutor who exposed allegations of external pressure not to indict in the Coupang severance case, appeared before the Gwan Bong-gwon Special Prosecutor Team (led by Ann Gweon Seob) and was questioned until late at night.
According to the legal community on the 12th, the special prosecutor's team summoned Chief Prosecutor Moon as a witness and questioned him from 10 a.m. on the 11th until around 12:04 a.m. the next day.
During this session, the team reportedly investigated the sequence of events up to February, focusing on whether former Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Prosecutors Office chief Eom Hee-jun had instructed the lead prosecutor to clear Coupang of charges in the severance pay case.
After the questioning, Chief Prosecutor Moon stated, "I have confirmed everything that happened at the time and submitted all the materials I have."
Based on Moon's testimony, the special prosecutor's team is expected to reconstruct the timeline of events and begin organizing evidence necessary for a full-scale investigation.
Previously, the Bucheon Branch of the Jungbu Regional Employment and Labor Office referred the case regarding unpaid severance at Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), Coupang's logistics subsidiary, to prosecutors with a recommendation to indict in January. However, the Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Prosecutors Office decided not to indict in April, citing lack of evidence.
In connection with this, Chief Prosecutor Moon Jiseok, who led the investigation, testified at the National Assembly Committee on Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor's audit in October that his superiors, then-branch chief Eom Hee-jun and then-deputy chief Kim Dong-hee, pressured him to clear Coupang of charges.
He claimed that both he and the lead prosecutor argued that Coupang's changes to its employment rules were illegal, but former deputy chief Kim tried to persuade them by saying it was 'a case clearly warranting non-prosecution.' Former branch chief Eom, after a new lead prosecutor was appointed in February, allegedly summoned the new prosecutor separately and provided guidelines for a non-prosecution decision in the Coupang case.
Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho stated that an independent third-party institution was needed to uncover the truth, and thus decided to launch a Permanent Special Prosecutor investigation. The special prosecutor's team summoned Chief Prosecutor Moon just five days after announcing the start of their investigation on the 6th.
The special prosecutor's team plans to summon Chief Prosecutor Moon again for questioning at 10 a.m. on the 14th.
kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-gyu Reporter