Coupang canceled its scheduled Kanye West concert for late May 2025 following controversies surrounding the artist's extremist remarks, including lyrics praising Nazi figures. All sold tickets were refunded and merchandise sales were suspended, marking a clear stance against fascist-associated behaviors.

In May 2023, Coupang Fulfillment Services revised its employment regulations in a manner that criminally excluded temporary workers working less than 15 hours per week from severance pay eligibility. This regulatory change, deemed a violation of the Workers’ Severance Pay Guarantee Act, has led to worker protests and demands for strict penalties, as confirmed by the Ministry of Employment and Labour in March 2025.

South Korean prosecutors are investigating Coupang for alleged manipulation of search algorithms to boost its private brand products and for mobilizing employees to generate positive reviews, amidst longstanding labor complaints from both domestic and expat workers. The investigation, led by the Seoul Eastern Division Prosecutor’s Office and supported by fines imposed by the Fair Trade Commission, raises serious concerns about the company’s business practices and treatment of labor.

Coupang disclosed spending $1,010,000 on lobbying activities during Q4 2024, with efforts focusing on measures such as expanding SME participation in its e-commerce platform, increasing market access, and highlighting job creation benefits. The expenditure was detailed in a Lobbying Disclosure Act filing.

Coupang was fined 1.58 billion won by the Personal Information Protection Commission after a data breach compromised personal details of 135,000 delivery workers and 22,440 customers, and the company delayed notifying affected parties. The fine resulted from prolonged negligence in protecting personal information despite previous warnings.

An FEC report has detailed Coupang's corporate PAC, COUPAC, which is classified as a Lobbyist/Registrant PAC. The report outlines the committee’s modest contribution receipts and lack of disbursements, highlighting Coupang's engagement in political finance.

A civic group, representing around 80 victims, announced its plan to file a collective lawsuit against Coupang, alleging that the company maintained a blacklist to prevent certain workers from being rehired. The lawsuit also accuses Coupang of silencing whistleblowers and threatening the press over these labor practices.

Coupang appointed Rob Porter, a former White House Staff Secretary under Donald Trump, as an advisor to help expand its political network in Washington and support its global business strategies. This move is seen as aligning the company's external affairs with networks that have ties to the former authoritarian political regime.

On June 13, the Korea Fair Trade Commission imposed a record-breaking fine of 140 billion won on Coupang for manipulating search results to favor its private brand products and using employee reviews to inflate ratings. The move, accompanied by criminal charges, has prompted Coupang to disclose the sanctions to the SEC and prepare a legal challenge.

On March 20, 2023, South Korea's Personal Information Protection Committee began investigating a data leak at Coupang that affected over 460,000 users, potentially violating the Personal Information Protection Act.