Coupang to launch cosmetics anti-counterfeiting hotline to fight fake K-beauty products

Coupang Inc said it will operate a dedicated hotline for reporting counterfeit cosmetics as part of its efforts to combat fake K-beauty products.

The e-commerce company co-hosted a brand protection seminar with the Korea Cosmetic Association on Sept. 10 to strengthen intellectual property protections for Korean cosmetics companies. The event covered Coupang's counterfeit detection processes and countermeasures, and gathered feedback from participants.

Jo Hee-kyung, director of Coupang's IP legal team, said the company runs a three-stage process: preemptive measures to block bad-faith sellers from the platform, active detection through AI and monitoring, and post-incident responses that include immediate removal and a one-strike-out policy upon receiving a report.

Sven-Erik Battenberg, also a director on Coupang's IP legal team, said the company would pilot a dedicated hotline capable of handling reports from major cosmetics brands on weekends, public holidays and late evenings to ensure swift action.

The range of counterfeit products has widened alongside the global spread of K-beauty, and the methods used to produce fakes have grown more sophisticated. According to the Korea Intellectual Property Office, the number of fake K-brand cosmetics blocked on overseas online platforms rose from 16,774 in 2023 to 23,494 in 2024 and 36,116 last year.

Coupang also plans to hold regular seminars with major brands to share improvements. Nina Ramesh, head of Coupang's IP legal division, said protecting intellectual property rights requires ongoing communication and cooperation with brand partners. "We will continue to listen to voices from the field and refine our response systems in ways that brands can actually feel," she said.