South Korea’s presidential office refuted a recent US House committee report accusing the country of unfairly targeting Coupang, stating that it does not discriminate against companies based on nationality. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac dismissed the report’s claims of “discriminatory attacks” on Coupang, emphasizing that the government conducts investigations without bias. The probe into Coupang’s data leak involving over 33 million user accounts is being carried out in compliance with domestic law.
The report accused South Korea of engaging in “economic discrimination against foreign companies,” specifically targeting Coupang. Wi asserted that the investigation is not discriminatory and refuted allegations of unfair regulations. He highlighted that if a similar data breach had occurred in the US affecting a significant portion of the population, it would have been deemed a serious issue. The security adviser also denied claims of the National Intelligence Service or a high-level presidential official’s involvement in retrieving an IT gadget related to the data breach.
South Korean lawmakers expressed regret over the report, emphasizing that the US assessment was based on limited facts. They defended the parliamentary hearings on Coupang’s data leak as part of their constitutional responsibilities and ordinary practice. The National Assembly rejected accusations of discriminatory treatment during the hearings, stating that procedures were uniformly applied to all witnesses. Additionally, interpretation services were provided to ensure accurate communication during the sessions.
The government aims to clarify its position in the US and prevent the Coupang issue from impacting bilateral relations. The foreign ministry expressed regret over the report and pledged to engage in consultations with the US to safeguard the broader aspects of the Korea-US alliance. South Korea intends to separate the Coupang matter from other affairs to prevent any adverse effects on diplomatic relations.
