South Korea fines Coupang $220 million for abusing dominance in food delivery market
The regulator said the platforms used market power to pressure restaurants, with compliance rates rising to 94% on Coupang Eats and 80% on Baemin Club.
- On Monday, the Fair Trade Commission imposed a combined 631.9 billion won fine on Woowa Brothers and Coupang for abusing their dominant market positions in South Korea's food delivery sector.
- With the two businesses controlling over 90 percent of the market, they mandated most favored nation requirements forcing restaurants to match prices on rival platforms. The Fair Trade Commission said this undermined competition and drove up food prices.
- Coupang enforced rules through its 'Wow' program, reaching 94 percent of partner restaurants by October 2025, while Baemin faced a 155.4 billion won fine for pressuring restaurants to switch to its 'Own Delivery' service.
- The regulator ordered both companies to rectify unfair practices, aiming to restore merchants' ability to set prices independently and encourage new platforms to enter the market.
- Separately, the Fair Trade Commission ordered a reexamination of Coupang's alleged tying of delivery and streaming services to its membership program, citing interpretation differences over primary and tied products.
15 Articles
15 Articles
South Korea fines Coupang $220 million for abusing dominance in food delivery market
South Korea's antitrust regulator said on Monday it was imposing a 300.8 billion won ($220.59 million) fine on e-commerce firm Coupang for abusing its dominant position in the food delivery market.
Woowa Brothers, Coupang face $465 mil. in fines for abusing delivery market dominance
Woowa Brothers and Coupang have been slapped with a combined 631.9 billion won ($465 million) in fines for abusing their dominant positions in Korea’s food delivery market by forcing affiliated restaurants to offer consumers prices and promotional terms at least as favorable as those available through competing channels. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said Monday it has decided to order the companies to rectify the unfair practices and impose p…
A total fine exceeding 600 billion won has been imposed on Baedal Minjok and Coupang Eats, which are accused of demanding that vendors not set food prices higher than those on other delivery apps. On the 9th, the Fair Trade Commission stated that they "hindered competition in the delivery market through demands for most-favored treatment in abuse of their dominant market position," and along with a corrective order...
The Fair Trade Commission imposed fines of 331.1 billion won and 300.8 billion won on Baedal Minjok and Coupang, respectively, for abusing their power by demanding most-favored treatment, such as food prices and minimum order amounts, from vendors. Delivery apps raised food prices and minimum order amounts to higher levels, so the Commission ordered that transaction conditions, such as food prices and minimum order amounts, not be less favorable…
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