Suryaa Business Desk: South Korea’s antitrust regulator, the Fair Trade Commission, has imposed a fine of approximately 300.8 billion won—equivalent to about 220 million dollars or Rs 1,800 crore—on the e-commerce and food delivery company Coupang. The penalty follows an investigation into the Coupang Eats platform for allegedly abusing its dominant market position through unfair business practices.
The regulator stated that Coupang enforced policies requiring restaurants on its platform to ensure that prices, offers, and minimum order limits for food items were not higher than those on competing apps. The commission found that restaurants refusing these conditions faced reduced visibility or removal from lists eligible for membership benefits. According to the regulator, these practices restricted the ability of restaurant owners to set their own prices and negatively impacted competing platforms.
The Fair Trade Commission also imposed fines on Baedal Minjok, another major delivery platform in the country. The regulator noted that these two companies hold over 90 percent of the market share, and their policies have contributed to increased food prices and additional burdens on consumers. The commission issued these corrective orders to restore an environment where merchants can set their own pricing policies and to facilitate the entry of new startups into the market.
Coupang has expressed strong objections to the fine, describing it as significantly higher than penalties imposed in previous similar cases. The company stated that the decision is unacceptable and intends to challenge the ruling in court.