US Republicans Urge South Korea to End "Discriminatory" Practices Against American Firms

A significant bloc of 54 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives has formally called on South Korea to cease what they describe as discriminatory practices against American businesses. In a public letter addressed to Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha, the lawmakers, affiliated with the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC), demanded an immediate halt to "discriminatory regulatory measures" affecting U.S. companies operating within South Korea.

The RSC explicitly identified Coupang, Apple, Google, and Meta as companies facing what they termed "systematic targeting." The letter asserts that these American tech giants have encountered numerous regulations that "punish" them while protecting their Korean competitors. The committee highlighted that while the Trump administration had repeatedly raised these concerns with the South Korean government, these issues have persisted, leading to what they deem an unacceptable pattern of unfair treatment.

Furthermore, the Republican lawmakers emphasized Coupang's role as a major source of U.S. foreign direct investment in Korea over the past decade and its significant sales of American agricultural products. They also referenced the 2025 data leak incident, characterizing the leaked data as "low-sensitivity" and criticizing the government's response as a "pan-governmental offensive." The letter warns that such discriminatory actions not only damage the economic relationship between the two allies but also risk ceding ground to China, underscoring the broader geopolitical implications of these trade disputes. The U.S. government is reportedly linking these concerns to ongoing security negotiations, signaling a heightened level of pressure on Seoul.