# Coupang Case: Addressing Design Infringement Allegations and Resuming Sales As online sales became more common, open market platforms such as Coupang, Naver, and Smartstore became the main business arena for retailers. At the same time, however, the suspension of sales due to reports of intellectual property rights violations poses a deadly threat to sellers. Source: https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1299365 HOME / NEWS & INSIGHTS NEWS & INSIGHTS Coupang Case: Addressing Design Infringement Allegations and Resuming Sales As online sales became more common, open market platforms such as Coupang, Naver, and Smartstore became the main business arena for retailers. At the same time, however, the suspension of sales due to reports of intellectual property rights violations poses a deadly threat to sellers. Designs 2025.08.22 published IPLEX 5 min read As online sales became more common, open market platforms such as Coupang, Naver, and Smartstore became the main business arena for retailers. At the same time, however, the suspension of sales due to reports of intellectual property rights violations poses a deadly threat to sellers. In particular, a report of a design right infringement can easily be filed with the appearance similarity, so if the response is poor, it can lead to suspension of product sales, as well as long-term suspension of account and legal disputes. This case shows how IPLEX responded to a Coupang design complaint, helped the client resume sales and addressed related legal risks. Case background: Coupang's sales suspension In early 2025, a client who visited our office was selling men's clothing in Coupang. However, with the receipt of the “Design Right Infringement” notification, the sale was suspended. Coupang's notice identified the following: Design Registration Nos. 30-1309906 (rainwear top) and 30-1309907 (rainwear bottoms) Action: Sales suspended; explanatory evidence requested The complaint alleged that the client's rainwear was similar to the registered designs. The problem, on the surface, was that the customer's product and registered design looked quite similar. It was simply a call not to be “similar” that lacked convincing, and was more likely not to be accepted in Coupang. IPLEX’s response strategy IPLEX IP Law Firm found it difficult to resume sales with a simple response. Therefore, we have developed a multi-layered strategy that covers all legal, judicial, and evidence data. (1) Reviewing grounds for invalidity First of all, we have thoroughly investigated whether a registered design is a valid right. As a result, the design was able to demonstrate that the same product had already been sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms (Taobao, Alibaba, etc.) prior to the filing date. The presence of multiple reviews and purchases prior to the filing date (2025.3.4) Matching product appearance, logo placement and markings This means that the registered design has lost novelty under Article 33 (1) of the Design Protection Act. The evidence also suggested that an existing Chinese product had been registered by someone other than its creator or lawful successor, raising entitlement issues under Article 3(1) of the Design Protection Act. (2) Developing an abuse-of-rights defense Seoul High Court case 2015Na2060007 supports the principle that seeking an injunction based on a design registration clearly subject to invalidation may constitute an abuse of rights. On the basis of this case, we have argued that the other party's exercise of rights is subject to abuse. In other words, it is clear that the customer is not an infringer, but that the other person’s rights are not legally protected. (3) The freely usable prior-art design defense Even if the similarity between the registered design and the customer product is recognized, the already known design is a free-to-use design that anyone can freely use. Supreme Court case 2016Hu878 addresses the exclusion of freely usable designs that an ordinary designer could easily create from the prior art. Therefore, the customer's products are already known and do not fall within the scope of the registered design. Result: sales resumed and dispute risks addressed Coupang accepted the patent attorney's opinion and supporting evidence and restored the client's listings. The response also addressed issues relevant to similar future complaints. Not only did the customer minimize the loss of sales interruptions in a short period of time, but they were also able to block the possibility of long-term disputes. IPLEX IP Law Firm IPLEX is not just a legal representative. We are a strategic partner to protect our customers’ entire business. Addressing the underlying issue We assess the basis of the allegation and the asserted right, helping resolve the immediate suspension and reduce the risk of similar disputes. Rich working experience We draw on experience with IP disputes on platforms including Coupang and Naver Smart Store, taking account of each platform's policies and procedures. Custom Strategy We don’t treat all cases the same. Detailed analysis of the customer situation and the nature of the case to establish an optimal strategy and prevent unexpected legal risks. In other words, we are not just a firefighter, we are a strong partner in ensuring that your business grows safely over the long term. If you are a seller working on online platforms such as Coupang, Naver, or Smart Store, you can always face the issue of stop selling due to trademark, design right, patent infringement report. An effective response may require analysis of validity, abuse of rights and freely usable prior-art designs, supported by evidence. This helps address both the suspension and the underlying dispute. IPLEX IP Law Firm has rich experience and expertise to solve your intellectual property rights disputes in the most efficient and secure way. If you face a sales suspension or IP complaint, contact IPLEX to discuss a response strategy. Read the Korean source This article reflects the information available when it was published. Contact us to discuss your circumstances. Discuss this topic ↗ All articles TALK TO IPLEX Discuss your IP questions We consider your technology and business needs together. ↗ Contact us Newer Seller Protection Case: A Patent Attorney Opinion Supports Resumption of Coupang Sales ↗ Older Coupang Case: Resolving Account and Sales Suspensions Together ↗ Related insights Designs 2026.08.31 Coupang Case: Resuming Clothing Sales Following a Design Infringement Complaint Sales of a women’s UV-protection cardigan on Coupang were suspended following a design infringement complaint. IPLEX reviewed the evidence and submitted a patent attorney’s opinion and a response to the complaint. The suspension was lifted. ↗ Read article Designs 2026.08.28 Coupang Jewelry Case: Responding to Counterfeit and Design Infringement Allegations This case required separate analysis of alleged counterfeiting and design infringement. The counterfeiting issue concerned use of the rights holder’s mark, claims of authenticity and the overall indication of commercial source on the sales page. ↗ Read article Designs 2026.08.27 Revisiting the Design After a Sales Suspension: A Coupang Jewelry Case For online sellers, a sales suspension email is not just a notice. The product still exists, it's still in stock, and there's customer demand, but the sell button just stops. A single sentence stating that an intellectual property infringement report has been filed can result in sales disruption, advertising loss, inventory burden, and account risk for the seller. ↗ Read article - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/category/design - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/forum/view/1299365 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/contact - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/contact - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1313182 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1290717 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1529903 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1529903 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1529001 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1529001 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1528238 - https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1528238