Coupac, Coupang’s political action committee, sent Democrats $102,000 through September, 55% of its reported giving; the company recorded $3.62 million in U.S. lobbying expenses over the same period, The Korea Herald reported.
The lobbying total was more than twice the $1.69 million reported for January through September 2025 and exceeded Coupang’s $2.27 million for all of last year. The Korea Herald’s figures put annual spending at $1.01 million to $1.55 million from 2021 through 2023, before it rose to $3.87 million in 2024.
The outlet said Coupang’s Lobbying Disclosure Act reports described the issue as protecting U.S. companies in Korea. The listed targets included the Executive Office of the President, the U.S. departments of State and Commerce, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Senate.
The Korea Herald’s account of Federal Election Commission filings put Coupac’s contributions to federal candidates, party committees and other political action committees at $185,000 through September, up 18% from about $156,000 over the same period in 2025. Republicans received $83,000, compared with $86,478 a year earlier. Democrats received $102,000, up from $70,000, a 45.7% increase.
From July through September, Coupac gave $32,500 to Democrats, 62.5% more than in the same quarter last year, and $15,000 to Republicans. The Korea Herald reported Coupac’s first contribution to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries this election cycle came on Sept. 30. Separately, Coupac directed $5,000 each to leadership PACs linked to Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Dave Min, plus $2,500 to a leadership PAC associated with Rep. Marilyn Strickland.
The Korea Herald linked the party split to forecasts that Democrats could regain the House and possibly the Senate. The outlet also reported that third-quarter filings by outside lobbying firms listed $75,000 in Coupang payments to Continental Strategy and $90,000 to Williams & Jensen.
EconoTimes has also covered political action committee spending for a House candidate ahead of the election. The U.S. midterm elections are scheduled for Nov. 3.
