Republicans slam 'unfair' treatment of Coupang in meetings with Korean trade minister, warn of consequences

Republican figures in the United States who met with Korea’s minister for trade, Yeo Han-koo, during his visit to the country publicly criticized what they described as unfair treatment of Coupang by the Korean government/

Yeo Han-koo, right, Korea’s chief trade negotiator at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, poses for a photo with U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa during their meeting in Washington on Jan. 12. [MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND ENERGY]

Republican figures in the United States who met with Korea’s minister for trade, Yeo Han-koo, during his visit to the country publicly criticized what they described as unfair treatment of Coupang by the Korean government, using inflammatory language such as “witch hunt” and even raising the prospect of a government-level response.

“I had a good discussion today with Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-koo,” U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a Republican, wrote on X on Monday. “I made clear that the unjustified targeting of American technology companies and unfair treatment of Coupang by the Lee administration are not acceptable, especially from a friend of 70 years.”

“Korea is a vital ally, but I will work with my colleagues in Congress and the Trump Administration to ensure that U.S. companies are not mistreated, that American exporters have access to foreign markets, and that countries like Korea keep the commitments they have made in recent trade and investment agreements,” wrote Issa. “My bottom line: There are consequences for state-sponsored hostile actions toward American companies and American citizens.”

“I am appalled at the recent actions by the Korean government to call for criminal charges against American executives of @Coupang based on a politically motivated witch hunt,” U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, also a Republican, wrote on X on Monday. “The United States government will continue to pursue measures to hold the Korean government accountable for its disturbing treatment of American companies.”

Coupang, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, owns 100 percent of the shares of its Korean unit. Some hard-line Republican lawmakers have taken issue with efforts by Korean authorities and the National Assembly to press Coupang to take responsibility over a personal data leak, framing the scrutiny as a crackdown on an American technology company.

Yeo’s trip to the United States came as complaints have surfaced in the U.S. administration and Congress that revisions to Korea’s Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection that passed the National Assembly late last year, along with an online platform bill now being pursued, amount to regulation aimed at U.S. companies.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM KI-HWAN [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]