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🇰🇷 South Korea /Economy & Trade

White House concerned over South Korea's 'discriminatory targeting' of Coupang

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The White House expressed concern over South Korea's investigation into Coupang, calling it discriminatory targeting of a U.S. tech company.
  • A U.S. House committee report alleged that the South Korean government has continuously targeted Coupang with excessive investigations and pressure.
  • South Korea's Foreign Ministry and the National Intelligence Service denied the allegations, stating that investigations are conducted legally and without discrimination.

The White House has voiced strong concerns regarding South Korea's regulatory actions against Coupang, a U.S.-based e-commerce giant. A White House official stated that the administration is "deeply concerned" about what it perceives as "discriminatory targeting" of American tech companies by the South Korean government. The official asserted that Coupang is being singled out by the current administration and warned that the Trump administration would not tolerate unfair trade practices, including those that restrict market access for U.S. digital services.

The administration is deeply concerned about the situation where the South Korean government is discriminatorily targeting U.S. tech companies.

— White House OfficialIn a statement to Hankyoreh, a White House official expressed concern over South Korea's actions against Coupang.

This stance aligns with digital trade provisions agreed upon during a previous South Korea-U.S. summit. Both nations committed to ensuring that U.S. companies do not face discrimination or unnecessary barriers in digital service-related laws and policies, encompassing issues like network usage fees and online platform regulations.

By any reasonable standard, Coupang is being targeted by the Lee Jae-myung government.

— White House OfficialThe official further elaborated on the perceived discriminatory nature of the investigations.

These concerns are amplified by a recent 35-page interim report from the Republican side of the House Judiciary Committee. Titled "Blocking Competition: South Korea's Discriminatory Attacks on U.S.-Owned Companies," the report claims the South Korean government has persistently targeted Coupang. It alleges that following a personal data leak incident, Seoul mobilized agencies like the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to conduct excessive investigations and exert undue pressure on the company. While the report was made public on the committee's website, it is not an official bipartisan report with a formal House report number.

The Trump administration will not tolerate unfair trade practices, including actions that restrict market access for U.S. digital services.

— White House OfficialThe official issued a warning regarding potential U.S. responses to South Korea's trade practices.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has expressed regret over the report, stating it "unilaterally reflects only Coupang's claims." The ministry emphasized that investigations and measures against Coupang are conducted legally and non-discriminatorily under domestic law, ensuring a fair business environment for all companies regardless of nationality. The NIS also refuted claims of directing or coercing Coupang during the data leak investigation, clarifying that any information provided by Coupang was already submitted to the police.

The report unilaterally reflects only Coupang's claims.

— South Korean Foreign MinistryA spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the U.S. House committee report.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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