He built an US$8.9bil fortune. Then the controversies began.

Coupang is facing renewed criticism from labour unions and customers about working conditions, with the trigger being a deadly fire at a fulfillment center in June. — Coupang

Bom Kim amassed a fortune at Coupang Inc, the Amazon of South Korea, that reached as much as US$8.9bil (RM37.71bil), and became the poster child of a new kind of wealth generation in the country: self-made riches from the technology world instead of the dynastic hoards of decades-old conglomerates.

Much was made about how the new breed of titans was different, more willing to give back to society and more considerate of employees. Coupang, for example, promised staff and frontline workers about US$90mil (RM381.42mil) in stock awards when it listed in New York in March.