The Seoul High Court on July 14 partially granted an injunction sought by Coupang, suspending the Fair Trade Commission’s designation of founder Kim Bom as the group’s “identical person” while the main lawsuit continues.

The court said it would suspend the designation until 30 days after a judgment in the main case, citing a need to prevent irrecoverable losses.

In South Korea, an “identical person” is the individual who effectively controls a conglomerate. The designation can trigger tighter regulatory oversight, including disclosures on relatives’ shareholdings, intra-family transactions.

Coupang had previously been allowed to designate the company itself under an exception. But the Fair Trade Commission said the exception no longer applied because Kim’s younger brother, Yoo Kim, was involved in management as a vice president.

If the Fair Trade Commission ultimately prevails, Kim and his relatives may have to report shareholdings and disclose affiliates overseas, while the group could face stricter filing and related-party transaction rules.

🔗 Source: Yonhap

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