Coupang Faces Dual Probes After Worker Left Critical in Forklift Accident
Published on 09/02/2026 at 08:17 | Editorial boerse-global.de
South Korean authorities have raided a Coupang logistics facility as part of an expanding investigation into workplace safety, after a worker was left in a critical condition following an entrapment accident in late August. The enforcement action signals intensifying scrutiny of safety standards at the e-commerce giant's fulfillment centres — a development with implications for any UK firm operating high-risk warehouse environments.
Safety Investigation in Gyeonggi Province
Around 30 investigators from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and regional police entered the Coupang logistics centre in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, on September 2 to secure evidence relating to the August 23 incident. During that accident, a 40-year-old worker became trapped between a forklift and a structure inside the warehouse. The individual suffered a cardiac arrest and remains unconscious.
Forklift entrapment accidents like this one are a stark reminder that workplace risk assessments must be continuously reviewed and updated. Yet many employers only discover gaps in their documentation after an incident occurs. A free toolkit with 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists can help you identify hazards and document controls before they lead to serious injuries. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
Authorities seized computers and internal documents to determine whether the company breached the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Investigators are focusing on potential safety duty failures that may have contributed to the entrapment. Local reports indicate that two facility officials have already been booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in bodily injury.
The action comes amid heightened scrutiny of industrial safety across South Korea's logistics sector. In a separate incident on August 31, a driver in his 60s died at a packaging manufacturing site in Gimpo after a forklift overturned.
Labour representatives have also highlighted recurring entrapment accidents at other industrial firms, including 21 such incidents reported at automotive parts maker HL Mando over the past six years — one of which resulted in a fatality in July.
When safety failures lead to serious incidents, regulators and prosecutors will examine whether your documentation was adequate. UK employers have legal duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to protect workers from foreseeable risks — and enforcement action can follow when those duties are neglected. A free toolkit providing risk assessments, checklists and guidance can help you demonstrate compliance and protect your workforce. Get the free Health & Safety at Work Act Toolkit
Regulatory Pressure at Seoul Headquarters
The Gwangju raid followed a separate investigation by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) at Coupang's corporate headquarters in Seoul on September 1. Roughly 30 FTC investigators conducted an on-site probe into allegations that the company abused its dominant market position and hindered the operations of other businesses.
The regulator requested data dating back to 2016 as part of its inquiry. The September 1 search came after a previous attempt to inspect the headquarters between August 19 and August 21 was reportedly blocked. While Coupang was noted to have cooperated during the latest search, the commission had previously threatened fines and criminal complaints over the earlier denial of access.
The parallel investigations by labour and antitrust authorities mark a period of intense regulatory oversight for the company, with officials simultaneously evaluating physical workplace safety and broader commercial practices.
