U.S. Outlet Politico Highlights Coupang's Lobbying in Washington
"All-Out Lobbying Targeting Every Possible Channel"
An American political news outlet has highlighted that Coupang, a service most Americans have never used, is actively engaged in lobbying activities in the Washington, D.C. political establishment.
On the 8th (local time), U.S. political news outlet Politico reported in an article titled "A Company Most Americans Have Never Used but That Is Nonetheless a Player in Washington" that Coupang has expanded its presence in Washington by conducting aggressive lobbying efforts targeting the U.S. political sphere since the launch of the Donald Trump administration.
The outlet described how Coupang has broadened its points of contact with political circles in the United States and explained the background. According to the report, after listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, Coupang relocated its headquarters to Seattle and has emphasized its identity as an American company by recruiting figures with experience working at the White House and in Congress.
The total amount of lobbying reported by Coupang came to 3.3 million dollars (4.8 billion won) in 2024, more than double the total for the previous two years combined, and it was found to have spent 2.27 million dollars (3.3 billion won) on lobbying in 2025.
Political donations also continued. Politico reported that Coupang donated 1 million dollars (1.46 billion won) to President Trump's inauguration committee, which allowed founder Bom Suk Kim to attend the inauguration events. In 2025, the company donated about 200,000 dollars (about 300 million won) to Republican and Democratic lawmakers and election campaigns, some of which went to a Republican lawmaker serving as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which handles trade issues.
Coupang's corporate political action committee, established in 2024, also donated 100,000 dollars (150 million won) to the Kennedy Center, a leading performance venue in Washington, D.C. The venue was later renamed the "Trump-Kennedy Center" by a board of directors composed of figures aligned with President Trump.
Coupang is also reported to have partnered with two lobbying firms that have connections to key power brokers in Washington, including House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and former Vice President Mike Pence.
A source who had advised Coupang told Politico, "They are very aggressive," describing its approach as "targeting every possible channel that can influence the conversations taking place in Washington."
The outlet also noted that the debate surrounding Coupang in the wake of a personal data leak incident in Korea is unfolding in tandem with trade issues between Korea and the United States. After President Trump posted a tweet signaling tariff hikes on Korea, some Republican lawmakers have been using it as a rationale to pressure the Korean government, arguing that "this is what happens when you unfairly target American companies like Coupang."
However, the article also conveyed the view of a U.S. official directly involved in the negotiations, who drew a clear line against linking this issue to the trade talks. It further added expert assessments that the Korean government's response to the personal data leak case is not excessive compared with similar cases in the past.
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