Coupang denies bedbug rumors, sues for defamation

Coupang headquarters at Songpa District, southern Seoul. [NEWS1]

Coupang has filed a complaint against rumors of bedbugs in the delivery company’s distribution center.

The company sued an unspecified scaremonger for defamation on Tuesday, according to Songpa Police on Wednesday.

Coupang denied the rumors and threatened legal action against “false information” in a statement released on Wednesday.

“False rumors are circulating on social media,” said Coupang, adding that “all distribution centers are being regularly sterilized by a professional contractor under rigorous management.”

The complaint and statement were made in response to a post titled “Bedbug found in Coupang’s distribution center,” which made rounds in several online communities.

“[The bedbug] came out of a Fresh Bag from Goyang Coupang,” said the post, referring to Coupang’s reusable delivery bags coming from a distribution center in Goyang, Gyeonggi. “I don’t think I’ll use Coupang for a while,” the post added.

Commenters on the post made further speculations, with one saying “[Coupang] pushed on with its denial of the existence of bedbugs at [a distribution center in] Changwon, but are now putting out pest control measures.”

“So far it’s been said [bedbugs] have come out of items, in between box partitions and from Fresh Bags so it’s likely they are in the [distribution] centers,” said another.

“There have been no cases reported of the pests being sighted,” said Coupang, in dismissal of the claims.

“We have requested a police investigation into the person who first spread false information and the people who spread rumors,” Coupang added. “We plan to hold them liable.”

BY KIM EUN-BIN, KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]