Coupang raises US Democratic donations and lobbying spending before midterms
In short
Coupang's political action committee COUPAC gave $185,000 to members of the US Congress in the first three quarters of 2026, up 18.2% on a year earlier, with the Democratic share up 52.9%. Coupang also reported $3.62 million in lobbying costs for the period, more than double the same period of 2025, according to Korean outlets citing US filings.
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Coupang, which Yonhap says is fighting lawsuits against Korean government regulations and sanctions, has increased its political donations to US Democrats ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Federal Election Commission filings reported on Oct. 22 (US time) show that COUPAC, the political action committee Coupang set up, gave $185,000 (about 250 million won) to US House and Senate members in the first three quarters of this year. That is 18.2% more than the $156,000 given in the same period of 2025. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Democratic members and Democratic-affiliated campaign committees and PACs received $107,000, up $37,000 or 52.9%. Republican members and affiliates received $78,000, down $8,000 or 9.8%. CBS NoCut News said Coupang gave more to Republicans last year and more to Democrats this year. The three outlets tie the shift to expectations that Democrats could retake a majority in the House and the Senate on Nov. 3. Yonhap said the shift appears not unrelated to that outlook. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Lawmakers connected to congressional activity on Coupang's complaint of unfair and discriminatory treatment by Korea also received money. COUPAC gave $20,000 to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (Republican, Missouri) and his supporting PAC, and $5,000 to trade subcommittee chairman Adrian Smith (Republican, Nebraska). That subcommittee held a 'Coupang hearing' in January. COUPAC also gave $1,000 to Scott Fitzgerald (Republican, Wisconsin) and $5,000 to Darrell Issa (Republican, California). The House Judiciary Committee, on which they sit, issued a report in July saying Korea attacks US companies in a discriminatory way. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
CBS NoCut News added that Coupang chief executive Harold Rogers appeared before the Korean National Assembly in December and attended the Ways and Means trade subcommittee, where, in the outlet's words, he unilaterally claimed that Korea's government had applied excessive regulation and discriminatory treatment to US companies. The outlet also said Coupang was under intensive investigation in Korea over alleged concealment of industrial accidents. [ 2 ]
Separately from donations, Coupang spent $3.62 million (about 4.8 billion won) on lobbying in the first three quarters of 2026, according to Senate lobbying reports (LD-2), against $1.69 million a year earlier, Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo said. Yonhap listed its annual lobbying costs as $1.01 million in 2021, $1.45 million in 2022, $1.55 million in 2023, $3.87 million in 2024 and $2.27 million in 2025. Chosun Ilbo said that including fees to seven outside firms, such as Miller Strategies ($900,000) and Ballard Partners ($500,000), the cumulative total reached $6.175 million (about 8.2 billion won), and called the spending the largest ever. [ 1 , 3 ]
The LD-2 report named the Executive Office of the President, the State Department, the Commerce Department, the US Trade Representative and the Senate as lobbying targets. Chosun Ilbo also listed the National Security Council and the House. The stated agenda was the protection of US companies operating in Korea. Yonhap and NoCut News said this resembles the position the US administration and Congress have stressed on Coupang. Alberto Martinez of Continental Strategy, one of the Washington firms hired, is a former chief of staff to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Yonhap said Continental Strategy and Williams & Jensen reported receiving $75,000 and $90,000 from Coupang in the third quarter. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The outlets link the shift toward Democrats to expectations about the Nov. 3 midterm elections. They also note that Coupang's lobbying agenda, protection of US companies operating in Korea, resembles the position the US administration and Congress have stressed on Coupang.
Key facts
- COUPAC gave $185,000 (about 250 million won) to US House and Senate members in the first three quarters of 2026, up 18.2% from $156,000 a year earlier. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Donations to Democratic members and Democratic-affiliated committees and PACs were $107,000, up $37,000 (52.9%). Donations to Republican members and affiliates were $78,000, down $8,000 (9.8%). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Coupang spent $3.62 million (about 4.8 billion won) on lobbying in the first three quarters of 2026, according to Senate LD-2 reports, against $1.69 million a year earlier. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Coupang listed the Executive Office of the President, the State Department, the Commerce Department, the USTR and the Senate as lobbying targets, with the agenda 'protection of US companies operating in Korea'. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- COUPAC gave $20,000 to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith and his supporting PAC, and $5,000 to trade subcommittee chairman Adrian Smith. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Alberto Martinez, the lead lobbyist at Continental Strategy, a Washington lobbying firm hired by Coupang, is a former chief of staff to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- FEC filings show COUPAC donated $185,000 to members of Congress in the first three quarters of 2026, up 18.2% from $156,000 a year earlier. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Donations to Democratic recipients rose by $37,000 (52.9%) to $107,000, while donations to Republican recipients fell by $8,000 (9.8%) to $78,000. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Coupang reported $3.62 million in lobbying costs for the first three quarters of 2026, in Senate lobbying reports (LD-2). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Coupang gave $1,000 to Rep. Scott Fitzgerald and $5,000 to Rep. Darrell Issa of the House Judiciary Committee, which issued a report in July saying Korea attacks US companies in a discriminatory way. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The House Ways and Means trade subcommittee held a hearing on Coupang in Congress in January. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Why Coupang shifted donations toward Democrats. The outlets tie it to expectations that Democrats may win a majority in both the House and Senate on Nov. 3; Yonhap says the link 'appears not unrelated' and Chosun Ilbo says it 'appears'. Coupang's reasons are not given in the documents.
- Coupang's response to the reports. None of the documents quotes Coupang on the donations or lobbying.
- Whether the 2026 lobbying total is the largest ever. Only Chosun Ilbo calls the spending the largest ever; the other outlets do not make that claim.
- Total 2026 lobbying spending including outside firms. Only Chosun Ilbo gives $6.175 million (about 8.2 billion won) including fees to seven outside firms.