South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has resumed an onsite inspection of Coupang.

Industry officials said on Jan. 13 that the FTC dispatched investigators to Coupang's headquarters in Songpa district, Seoul, and is conducting an onsite inspection. Investigators from the corporate groups bureau, the market surveillance bureau and the distribution and agency bureau were deployed at the same time, they said.

The FTC previously inspected Coupang's headquarters last month over a personal data leak and controversy over membership withdrawal procedures. It is believed to have increased the size of its inspection team compared with the earlier probe to secure related materials.

The corporate groups bureau is examining Coupang's governance structure and the extent of management involvement, focusing on whether Bom Kim, chairman of Coupang Inc, should be designated as the controlling shareholder. Coupang is currently designated as the controlling shareholder itself.

The market surveillance bureau and the distribution and agency bureau are investigating whether there were unfair trade practices in Coupang's operation of its private-brand products. A key focus is whether sales data from sellers on the platform was improperly used to plan and launch Coupang's own private-brand products.

The onsite inspection took place after FTC Chairman Byung-ki Joo said the previous day that the agency would closely review whether Kim should be designated as the controlling shareholder, along with the possibility of a business suspension for Coupang.