Special Prosecutor Concludes Investigation: Currency Bundle Strap Disposal Deemed 'Work Negligence', Coupang Pressure Ruled 'Abuse of Authority'

Former and Current Coupang CFS CEOs and Corporation Sent to Trial
Eom Heejun and Kim Donghee Also Indicted for Abuse of Authority
Currency Bundle Strap Allegations Transferred
Special Prosecutor Finds No Evidence of Disposal Orders from Higher-Level Officials

The special prosecutor team led by Ahn Kwonseop, which has been investigating allegations including the disposal of currency bundle straps and external pressure to drop the Coupang severance pay case, announced its final investigation results on March 5, concluding 90 days of investigation. The team indicted former and current representatives of Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), as well as prosecutors Eom Heejun and Kim Donghee, but concluded that the suspicion surrounding the disposal of currency bundle straps was due to work-related negligence by the investigation team, not the intentional concealment by higher-ranking officials.

Permanent Special Prosecutor Kwonseop Ahn, investigating allegations of covering up the Coupang investigation and unpaid severance pay, is arriving at the Permanent Special Prosecutor's Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on December 31, 2025. Photo by Dongju Yoon

At a press conference held at 2 p.m. on the same day at the team's office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the special prosecutor team made this announcement. The team was launched following revelations made by a senior prosecutor from the Bucheon branch during the National Assembly audit last year, accusing the prosecution's leadership of exerting undue pressure to drop charges in the Coupang severance pay case. In addition, the team investigated the incident in which the strap of a KRW 50 million currency bundle, seized from the home of Jeon Seongbae, known as Geonjin Bopsa, was damaged and lost during the investigation by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office in December 2024.

Special prosecutor Ahn, who was appointed to uncover these two allegations, completed preparations on December 6 and, after one extension, conducted a total of 90 days of investigation.

Deliberate Non-Payment of Severance Pay Proven... No Evidence of Collusion with Senior Prosecutors

The special prosecutor team indicted former CEO Eom Sunghwan, current CEO Jung Jongcheol, and the corporation itself of CFS without detention, on charges of violating the Act on the Guarantee of Workers’ Retirement Benefits. They are accused of failing to pay approximately KRW 124.94 million in severance pay to 40 temporary workers within 14 days, from November 2022 to April 2024.

According to the team, CFS unilaterally excluded temporary workers from the list of those eligible for severance pay by internally modifying the temporary worker system, without consulting the Ministry of Employment and Labor or seeking input from employees, in an attempt to cut costs by about KRW 4.4 billion annually.

Former Bucheon District Prosecutors’ Office chief Eom Heejun and former deputy chief prosecutor Kim Donghee, who are accused of exerting external pressure to drop the case, were also indicted without detention on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of the exercise of rights. The special prosecutor team found that they interfered with the authority of the supervising prosecutor by instructing the lead prosecutor to bypass the supervisor and report directly to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Eom was also charged with giving false testimony at the National Assembly audit, by claiming he had never directed the lead prosecutor to drop the charges.

However, due to the lack of cooperation from key witnesses and unsuccessful attempts to conduct digital forensics on some mobile phones, the team was unable to obtain objective evidence to confirm collusive ties between the defendants and Coupang. The special prosecutor team stated that while they secured numerous materials raising suspicions of collusion—such as frequent communications between the defendants (including staff of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office) and Coupang’s legal counsel, and indications that Coupang had prior knowledge of the decision to drop the charges—these did not amount to conclusive proof.

'Disposal of Currency Bundle Straps' Deemed Grounds for Disciplinary Action... Several Unresolved Cases Transferred

Regarding another key background for the special prosecutor’s formation—the allegations of the Bank of Korea’s currency bundle plastic wrap and strap being damaged or disposed of—the team announced that there was no objective evidence of an organized cover-up or instructions from higher-level officials. They determined this was a case of work-related negligence, resulting from incomplete seizure records by the lead prosecutor’s office, lack of communication, and only superficial cross-checking by those in charge of seizures.

The team pointed out, “As a result of this negligence, the possibility of tracing the source of funds via fingerprints left on the currency bundle packaging was lost, and the fundamental discipline of evidence management in criminal investigations was compromised. We will notify relevant agencies of disciplinary grounds for those responsible.” The team also added, “Improvements are needed, such as extending the CCTV retention period for receiving seized items and requiring approval from senior investigators.”

Having operated with a total of 65 members, the special prosecutor team will now reorganize into a structure focused on maintaining prosecution. Unresolved or additional allegations regarding the currency bundle, leakage of investigation information, and possible collusion between the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Coupang will be transferred to the relevant district prosecutors’ offices in accordance with the Special Prosecutor’s Act.

The team achieved results by pursuing indictments in the Coupang severance pay and internal prosecutorial pressure cases. However, the investigation closed without fully resolving the allegations regarding the disposal of currency bundle straps and suspected collusion with Coupang.

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