Fair Trade Commission Launches On-Site Investigation of Coupang, Which Has Avoided Controlling Shareholder Designation for 5 Years, with Three Bureaus Deployed Simultaneously

On the 7th, self-employed groups including the Korea Foodservice Industry Association held a rally condemning Coupang on the steps in front of the National Assembly main building. January 7, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The Fair Trade Commission has launched an investigation into Coupang over allegations that the company avoided being designated as a conglomerate owner (de facto head), abused its platform status, and unfairly exploited sales data from partner vendors.

According to industry sources on the 13th, the Fair Trade Commission dispatched investigators to Coupang’s headquarters in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the same day to conduct an on-site investigation. Three departments-the Business Group Bureau, Market Surveillance Bureau, and Franchise and Distribution Bureau-were mobilized simultaneously to secure relevant documents and materials from the offices.

This on-site investigation is reportedly aimed at verifying the facts surrounding the designation of Bom Kim, Chairman of Coupang Inc., as the de facto owner who effectively controls Coupang. Since 2021, Coupang has managed to avoid such designation for five consecutive years, arguing that Chairman Kim holds U.S. citizenship, does not own shares in affiliates, and that his relatives are not involved in management.

The Business Group Bureau is focusing on the extent to which Chairman Kim and his family are actually involved in the management of Coupang’s domestic operations.

Under current law, designation as a de facto owner imposes strict disclosure obligations and responsibilities on the entire business group, including matters such as the employment of relatives and transactions among affiliates. Based on the materials collected during this investigation, the Fair Trade Commission plans to assess the management involvement of Chairman Kim and his family and will make a final decision on whether to designate him as Coupang’s owner.

The Market Surveillance Bureau and the Franchise and Distribution Bureau are investigating whether there have been unfair practices in the operation of Coupang’s private brand (PB) products. Allegations have been raised that Coupang unfairly utilized the sales data of partner vendors in the process of planning and launching PB products.

The Fair Trade Commission plans to closely examine whether Coupang, as a platform operator, used its exclusive data for the benefit of its own brands, and whether it abused its dominant market position in the process.

Regarding this, Fair Trade Commission Chairman Joo Byungki stated on a YouTube broadcast the previous day, “Coupang is using business practices that maximize profits by exploiting loopholes in the Fair Trade Act and other regulations. We will thoroughly review whether Bom Kim’s family is participating in management (a key exception for owner designation).”