Washington, July 5 (IANS). According to US President Donald Trump’s financial disclosure report, his money managers bought and sold shares of US stock exchange-listed e-commerce company Coupang 18 times between October and May. This trading took place at a time when there was tension between Seoul and Washington over the ongoing regulatory investigation in South Korea into a major data breach related to the company.
Three reports filed with the US Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in May and this month revealed that President Trump bought and sold Coupang shares through two investment accounts between October 9 and May 22.
According to Yonhap news agency, these disclosure reports indicate that he may have held as much as $130,000 worth of Coupang shares.
These stock transactions by Trump attracted attention at a time when US criticism increased over the way South Korean authorities handled the Coupang data leak case. A House Judiciary Committee staff report and a White House official recently criticized the investigation as discriminatory.
According to the report, Trump bought Coupang shares worth $1,001 to $15,000 on October 9. Later on the same day, he bought more shares worth $50,001 to $100,000. Instead of reporting the exact amount of a transaction, financial disclosure reports report it as a price range.
He bought more Coupang shares on October 16, priced between $1,001 and $15,000. On December 11, he bought more shares priced between $1,001 and $15,000, as well as more shares priced between $50,001 and $100,000 that day. He then bought more shares on December 18, priced between $1,001 and $15,000.
In addition, he sold Coupang shares between $15,001 and $50,000 on October 16, followed by selling shares between $15,001 and $50,000 on November 10, and sold shares between $1,001 and $15,000 on the same day. He also sold Coupang shares worth between $1,001 and $15,000 on November 17.
This year, US President Trump continued to trade Coupang shares. He bought between $100,001 and $250,000 worth of the company’s shares on February 12, then bought more shares worth between $1,001 and $15,000 the same day. He then bought Coupang shares worth between $1,001 and $15,000 on February 23.
On January 12, he sold Coupang shares worth between $1,001 and $15,000, followed by another worth of between $50,001 and $100,000. He also sold shares between $1,001 and $15,000 on January 21, followed by shares between $15,001 and $50,000 on May 18 and between $50,001 and $100,000 on May 22.
These transactions show that Trump may have shares of Coupang worth up to about $1.30 lakh.
Financial filings for 2025, included in his three financial disclosure reports, also revealed that he had either no or very little income from trading in Coupang shares last year.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request sent by Yonhap news agency for comment on the matter.
–IANS
KK/AS
