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Coupang CEO Rogers thanks delivery workers after overnight shift experience

Published: 26 Mar. 2026, 18:41

Coupang's interim CEO, Harold Rogers, takes part in Coupang's dawn delivery service on March 19. [COUPANG]

Coupang interim CEO Harold Rogers expressed his gratitude to delivery workers and reemphasized the company's mission in an email to employees on Wednesday.

The email followed an overnight shift on March 19, when Rogers joined Coupang delivery drivers, known as “Coupang Friends,” at a Coupang Logistics Services (CLS) camp in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, alongside Rep. Yeom Tae-young of the Democratic Party — fulfilling a pledge he made at a parliamentary hearing last year to examine delivery workers’ conditions firsthand.

The shift ran from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the following day. Coupang Friends are directly employed delivery drivers who handle the final stage of deliveries to customers.

“It was a valuable experience meeting customers on the front lines,” he said.

“The entire process — from sorting items to loading and final delivery — was precisely designed and carried out in a way that reflects Coupang’s biggest strengths,” he continued. “I was struck by how the system determines which items to load and deliver first, along with its tightly managed operations. It was meaningful to see firsthand Coupang’s core competitiveness, built through continuous innovation based on on-site experience and feedback.”

Rogers also highlighted the front-line workers he met during the shift, saying he was “deeply impressed.”

“Each person took their role seriously, supporting Coupang’s last-mile operations,” he said. The last mile refers to the final step of delivery from logistics centers to customers’ doorsteps. “Rocket Delivery, now widely used across the country, would not exist without them.”

He reiterated the company’s mission toward the end of the message. “Coupang has existed for barely 20 years, yet our identity has remained unchanged,” he said. “We always look to our customers to find answers and act on them. Let’s continue to take on new challenges without hesitation.”

Coupang's interim CEO, Harold Rogers, poses with Coupang's dawn delivery service workers on March 19. [COUPANG]

Notably, the email did not mention ongoing investigations into Coupang by 10 government bodies, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Fair Trade Commission. This marked a shift in tone from a previous internal message, in which Rogers addressed the probes and urged employees to cooperate.

Instead, the latest message focused on the company’s delivery performance.

“Coupang continues to innovate and invest to expand ‘Coupang coverage’ nationwide so customers can enjoy safe and fast delivery regardless of where they live,” he said. “Since February last year, Rocket Fresh has been available in Jeju, and within just 12 months, we reduced average delivery times by more than two hours.”

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on March 16 that it would conduct an industrial safety inspection into allegations involving Coupang’s dawn delivery operations, including suspected overwork-related deaths and the possible concealment of workplace accidents.

Authorities will examine the company's claims that it followed internal guidelines in handling such incidents and sought settlements with bereaved families. The probe will cover Coupang’s headquarters, Coupang Fulfillment Service and approximately 100 CLS logistics centers and delivery camps nationwide.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]