Coupang headquarters in Seoul (Yoon Chang-bin/The Korea Herald) Coupang spent $250,000 lobbying the Trump administration and Congress in the second quarter through a firm with close ties to the president, extending a Washington campaign amid its ongoing conflict with South Korean regulators over the company's massive data breach.In a lobbying disclosure filing Wednesday, Ballard Partners, a Florida-based lobbying and public affairs firm, reported that client Coupang Inc., the e-commerce giant's parent, paid it $250,000 for the April-through-June period, up from $170,000 in the first quarter.Ballard Partners carries particular weight in President Donald Trump's Washington. Founder Brian Ballard has known the president for decades and raised money as a top fundraiser during both his 2016 and 2024 campaigns. One former firm employee, Susie Wiles, now serves as White House chief of staff. Another, Pam Bondi, served as attorney general before departing the post in April.The filing describes the lobbying as touching "issues related to US export promotion, international economic policy, and investment flows," along with "discussions regarding efforts to strengthen economic and commercial ties between the United States and allied countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the UK, and the European Union."The company reported contacts with the White House Office, the Executive Office of the President, the US House of Representatives and the US Trade Representative.The spending comes as tensions rise between Seoul and Washington following a Korean investigation into a Coupang data breach, which has been under scrutiny since November 2025.On July 1, the House Judiciary Committee released a report accusing Korea of treating Coupang, which the panel calls a "consistent target" of the Korean government, unfairly compared with domestic rivals. Seoul rejected the characterization, saying it does not discriminate against companies based on nationality.Coupang said it remained committed to finding a constructive resolution so it could again serve as "a bridge to strengthen the US-Korea alliance, accelerating trade and investment that benefits both countries."Additional lobbying activity could still surface before the second-quarter disclosure window closes, industry officials noted. In the first quarter, Coupang also worked with Crossroads Strategies, Williams & Jensen, Continental Strategy and Miller Strategies, widening its footprint across Washington's lobbying corridor.