Overview
- The Seoul High Court granted the injunction on Tuesday, suspending the Fair Trade Commission’s April/May 2026 decision to list Bom Kim as the Coupang group’s 'identical person' while the main lawsuit proceeds.
- The court said plaintiffs showed an urgent need to prevent irreparable harm and found no material reason to conclude a suspension would harm the public interest.
- The FTC based its designation on the involvement of Kim’s younger brother, Kim Yoo‑seok, in managing Coupang’s Korean affiliates and argued that family management indicates effective control.
- Coupang and Bom Kim argue the group has a transparent ownership structure, with U.S.-listed Coupang Inc. owning 100% of the Korean operating unit, and say the designation would force onerous disclosures about relatives and cause lasting reputational and compliance harm.
- The injunction also halts the FTC’s request for additional disclosure information and leaves open wider questions about how South Korean rules will apply to U.S.-listed Korean groups and future cross‑border regulatory practice.