Yeo Han-koo: "Coupang Data Leak Should Be Addressed Separately from Trade and Diplomatic Issues... Will Clarify Misunderstandings with the U.S."

U.S. Lawmakers Accuse Korea of "Discriminating Against U.S. Companies"
Minister Yeo Stresses "Non-Discriminatory, Domestic Norms-Based Intent"
Simultaneous Response to FTA Joint Committee and Tariff Ruling

Yonhap News Agency

Amid simultaneous concerns over the Coupang personal information leak and U.S. criticism regarding Korea's online platform regulatory legislation, Yeo Han-koo, Trade Minister for Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, who is currently visiting the United States, has sought to address the situation by stating, "We need to respond to each issue separately." His intention is to prevent the domestic personal information protection issue from expanding into a narrative of "discrimination against U.S. tech companies" in the United States, while also conducting extensive outreach during his visit.

On the 11th (local time), at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., Minister Yeo told reporters regarding the recent controversy over the Coupang personal information leak, "The essence of the matter lies in the large-scale data breach and the subsequent inadequate response," adding, "It is important to approach this issue without conflating it with trade or diplomatic matters." He prefaced his remarks by saying, "The U.S. government has never officially raised this issue with us," and emphasized, "The Korean government is not targeting or taking discriminatory action against any specific company."

Coupang Korea's shares are 100% owned by its U.S.-listed parent company, Coupang Inc., and more than 70% of Coupang Inc.'s voting rights are held by Chairman Bom Kim. For this reason, some U.S. media outlets, think tanks, and congressional staffers have claimed that the Korean National Assembly's response signals preemptive regulation of U.S. tech companies. Minister Yeo's remarks are seen as an effort to counter this perception.

Regarding the online platform regulatory legislation being pursued in the Korean National Assembly, Minister Yeo acknowledged, "It is true that the U.S. side has concerns," and stated, "It is necessary to clearly explain the policy and legislative intentions." He added, "In particular, members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as digital industry associations, are actively voicing their opinions," and said, "During this visit, I will conduct broad outreach to explain the Korean government's legislative intent and seek understanding."

The U.S. administration and Congress have openly expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that this bill could effectively function as a regulation targeting U.S. companies. It is expected that Minister Yeo will meet with Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, who has criticized Korean regulations as "anti-American digital regulation." Congressman Issa recently published an op-ed directly accusing the Korean government and National Assembly of "discriminating against U.S. companies."

Another government official commented, "Korea's online platform legislation is based on domestic normative objectives such as consumer protection and ensuring market fairness, but the U.S. tends to view it primarily in the context of digital trade and service market barriers," adding, "There is a clash of perspectives in this discussion." In fact, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Congress have recently strengthened their stance of defining digital trade as a non-tariff barrier area on par with manufacturing.

Minister Yeo addressed the postponement of the "Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee" meeting, which was to discuss non-tariff barrier issues, by stating, "We are closely coordinating the schedule and agenda with the USTR," and "We will set a date as soon as preparations are complete." He added, "Key issues are being communicated and handled constructively at both the top and working levels."

Regarding the expectation that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon issue a ruling on the agreement to lower mutual tariffs between Korea and the U.S. to 15%, Minister Yeo said, "There are many variables in the outcome, so it is difficult to predict," and explained, "A key purpose of this visit is to listen broadly to the opinions of the U.S. government, law firms, and trade experts, and to prepare for various scenarios."

During his visit, Minister Yeo is scheduled to meet successively with USTR representative Jamieson Greer, members of the U.S. Congress, and industry lobbying group officials, before returning to Korea on the 15th. He emphasized, "We will respond with the national interest as our top priority, ensuring that the Korean government's position is accurately conveyed and understood by the U.S. side."