What happened when the FTC tried to inspect Coupang last month?

Coupang did not cooperate with the earlier on-site inspection attempt. The company said it had not been notified of the inspection as stipulated under the Framework Act on Administrative Investigations.

What allegation was behind the FTC’s earlier probe into Coupang?

The earlier inspection attempt was linked to allegations that Coupang shifted the costs of discounts onto its suppliers. That issue was separate from the latest inspection, which sources said centered on possible obstruction of other companies’ business operations.

FTC carried out on-site probe into Coupang: sources

Q: Why did South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission inspect Coupang again in Seoul?

The latest on-site inspection was tied to a separate case and focused on whether Coupang unfairly obstructed the business operations of other companies. It came after a failed inspection attempt last month, according to industry sources.

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Summary

The Fair Trade Commission carried out another on-site probe into Coupang’s Seoul headquarters on the previous day, according to industry sources. The inspection was tied to a separate case after a failed attempt last month, and Coupang cooperated this time. The sources said the probe focused on whether Coupang unfairly obstructed the business operations of other companies. Last month, Coupang had refused to cooperate, saying it had not been properly notified under the Framework Act on Administrative Investigations.

Key Facts

The FTC previously tried to inspect Coupang last month over allegations that the company shifted the costs of discounts onto suppliers.
Coupang said at the time that it had not been notified of the inspection as required under the Framework Act on Administrative Investigations.
An FTC official said, We cannot comment on individual cases.
The latest probe was carried out at Coupang’s headquarters in Seoul.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 2, 2026 9:35 am KST

A assersby walks in front of Coupang's office in Seoul, Aug. 5. Yonhap

Korea's fair trade watchdog has carried out another on-site probe into the Korean arm of U.S.-listed Coupang Inc. in connection with a separate case following a failed inspection attempt last month, industry sources said Wednesday.

According to the sources, officials from the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) conducted an on-site inspection of Coupang's headquarters in Seoul on the previous day, with the company cooperating with the probe.

The investigation centered on whether Coupang unfairly obstructed the business operations of other companies, the sources said.

Last month, the FTC attempted to conduct on-site inspections amid allegations that Coupang had shifted the costs of discounts onto its suppliers.

Coupang declined to cooperate with the investigation at the time, claiming it had not been notified of the inspection as stipulated under the Framework Act on Administrative Investigations.

"We cannot comment on individual cases," an official from the FTC said.

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