"Regret Over U.S. House Report Based Solely on Coupang's Claims": Foreign Ministry Expresses Discontent

[Financial News] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the 2nd that it strongly regretted a U.S. congressional report claiming that Coupang was being treated unfairly. It also rejected the report's assertion that the South Korean government was imposing unreasonable regulations on Coupang, saying the claim was untrue.
On the 1st local time, the United States House Committee on the Judiciary released an official report saying that the South Korean government was discriminating against U.S. companies, including Coupang. The Foreign Ministry immediately pushed back, saying the report contained false information. It is somewhat unusual for the ministry to publicly express regret and issue a rebuttal to the U.S. Congress.
At a regular briefing that day, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il said, "Our government has been communicating with the U.S. Judiciary Committee and fully explaining our position, but we express regret that the committee's report unilaterally reflects only Coupang's claims."
The ministry also reiterated that investigations and measures concerning Coupang are being carried out lawfully and without discrimination under domestic law.
Park also countered, "The U.S. congressional report's claim that our government is continuing discriminatory investigations and unreasonable regulations against Coupang is not true."
The Foreign Ministry stressed that measures related to Coupang are being taken lawfully and without discrimination under relevant domestic laws, in connection with issues such as personal data leaks and consumer protection.
The government said it will continue contacting the Judiciary Committee, other members of the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. administration to deliver accurate information.
It also said it will keep consulting with the U.S. side so that issues related to Coupang do not negatively affect security discussions between South Korea and the United States.
The government also reaffirmed that the joint explanatory materials for the South Korea–United States summit clearly stated a firm policy of non-discrimination toward U.S. digital companies, including Coupang.
Meanwhile, the report released by the U.S. Congress on the day said the South Korean government has continually targeted Coupang and argued that such discriminatory treatment violates the Korea-U.S. trade agreement.
The United States House Committee on the Judiciary made public a 35-page report on its website under the title "Blocking Competition: South Korea's Discriminatory Attacks on American-Owned Companies."
The committee said, "Coupang has been a persistent target of the South Korean government," adding that "South Korea has continuously investigated Coupang, made unreasonable demands through regulators, and even threatened to suspend its business."
It also claimed, "South Korea's hostility toward Coupang has continued for years, but it intensified significantly after a former employee stole a limited amount of customer information from Coupang. After that incident, the South Korean government spread false information about Coupang, referred to it as a criminal organization, and launched numerous investigations unrelated to the case."
The committee further claimed that "South Korea's attacks on Coupang have harmed American companies and citizens that sell billions of dollars' worth of products through Coupang each year."

rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter