According to legal officials on the 25th, Seoul Central District Court Judge Cho Ji-hwan of the court’s Civil Division 79 recently decided there was no need to impose an administrative fine on A, an employee at a local office under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, or on Coupang CLS for an alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. The judge also decided not to proceed with a fine trial for A after the ministry withdrew its notice of the alleged violation.
The court said there was no ongoing guidance, supervision or inspection case involving Coupang CLS at A’s office at the time of the meal, and found the meeting was for social purposes that did not hinder the proper performance of duties.
The court cited that the per-person meal cost was 27,500 won, within the 30,000-won limit allowed under the law’s enforcement decree. “The value of the food provided was 30,000 won or less per person, falling within the permitted scope for social or ceremonial purposes,” the court said.
The court also pointed to the pair’s personal ties dating to 2006, when they worked together, that the meeting was not planned in advance and happened by chance, and that other staff who attended also knew the Coupang CLS executive.
A had been handling industrial accident-related work at the ministry when, around February last year, a Coupang CLS executive provided lunch worth 165,000 won to A and four colleagues. After learning of it, the head of A’s agency notified the court that A had violated the anti-graft law, triggering fine proceedings. In March, the court decided in a summary ruling not to impose a fine. Prosecutors objected, leading to formal proceedings.
The government has continued to stress compliance with the anti-graft law. At a National Assembly hearing on Coupang last year, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon cited several grade 5 and 6 officials who moved to Coupang from six labor offices before the presidential election and warned of punishment at a “ruinous” level, ordering officials not to make contact.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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