Another Death at Coupang Logistics Center... Labor Groups Demand Application of Serious Accident Punishment Act

Progressive Party members, including Standing Representative Kim Jae-yeon, held a press conference on the 24th in front of Coupang headquarters in Songpa-gu, Seoul, exposing the actual conditions at Coupang logistics center workplaces. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the 11th, a labor union demanded the application of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act in relation to the death of a worker in her 50s from a cerebral hemorrhage at the Coupang Dongtan logistics center.

On the morning of the 25th, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union and others held a press conference at the Gyeonggi branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, demanding the application of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and special labor supervision for the Coupang logistics center.

They stated that Coupang is responsible for the incident in which a female worker in her 50s, working at the Coupang Dongtan logistics center on December 24 last year, collapsed due to a cerebral hemorrhage and passed away on the 11th of this month.

They also claimed that the deceased’s job was as a "supporter," which involved checking incoming goods and registering them in the computer system, as well as training new workers on computer tasks, but she was forced to perform tasks outside her responsibilities, such as "kkadaegi" (sorting and repacking).

At the press conference, the union criticized, "Although the deceased showed abnormal symptoms and complained of pain, immediate on-site response was not made," and added, "It took an hour and a half to transport her to the hospital, but Coupang remains silent about the inadequate on-site response."

They continued, "We demand the Ministry of Employment and Labor apply the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and conduct special labor supervision on the Coupang logistics center," and urged, "Both Coupang and the government must take responsibility to ensure that such incidents never happen again."

Meanwhile, the Coupang union has long demanded changes to the poor working conditions at the logistics centers, which are vulnerable to cold and heat, lack sufficient break times and spaces, have hierarchical work orders, and enforce a mobile phone ban policy. Since 2020, a total of four workers have died at Coupang logistics centers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.