SEOUL, South Korea: Coupang has said it will legally challenge a 300.9 billion won (US$220.59 million) fine imposed by South Korea's antitrust regulator for abusing its dominant position in the food delivery market, a ruling that could deepen tensions between Seoul and the U.S.-listed e-commerce firm.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said on November 9 that Coupang required merchants to match rival platforms' favorable terms and penalized those that failed to comply, restricting competition in the delivery app sector.

The FTC said Coupang required restaurants to meet six conditions, including menu prices, minimum order amounts, discounts, and delivery charges. Restaurants that failed to comply risked losing a special designation that allowed them to offer discounts and free delivery to Coupang's paid-membership customers.

The regulator said the share of restaurants meeting the requirements rose to nearly 94 percent in October 2025, up from about 13 percent in July 2023.

Coupang said in a statement the penalty was excessive and more than 600 times the fine imposed in a comparable 2020 case involving another food delivery app. It said the FTC included revenue unrelated to the alleged conduct when calculating the fine, undermining its right to defend itself, and that it would challenge the decision through legal proceedings.

The FTC also fined Woowa Brothers, the operator of rival delivery app Baemin, 331.1 billion won for similar practices. Woowa Brothers said in a statement that it had told the FTC its conduct was not unlawful and regretted that the FTC had not fully accepted its arguments, adding that it would closely review the decision.

The ruling adds to tensions between Coupang and South Korean authorities, which fined the company 624 billion won in June over a 2025 data breach affecting more than 33 million customers.

Coupang has disputed the Government's findings and handling of that case, while Republican U.S. lawmakers have accused Seoul of discriminating against an American company, a claim South Korean officials reject.

Coupang has maintained an extensive lobbying and political operation in Washington, contributing to figures on both sides of the political aisle. U.S. Federal Election Commission records show that its political action committee, COUPAC, gave about $379,000 to congressional candidates and political committees from the start of 2025 through September 2026.

Recent records suggest a growing emphasis on cultivating Democratic ties ahead of the party's strong midterm performance, although COUPAC continued to support Republicans.