The Trump administration has publicly criticized the South Korean government's response to the Coupang data breach. Following statements from the U.S. House of Representatives, the White House has labeled the investigation into Coupang as a case of "discrimination against American companies," escalating the issue of data privacy into a trade dispute between the U.S. and South Korea.
According to Yonhap News, a White House official expressed concern on July 2 regarding a report from the House Judiciary Committee about Coupang. The official stated, "The Trump administration is deeply worried about the South Korean government's discriminatory targeting of American tech companies." The official further claimed, "No reasonable standard can justify the Lee Jae-myung administration's focus on Coupang."
The official also emphasized, "We will not tolerate unfair trade practices that restrict market access for American digital services." This suggests that the South Korean government's investigation and potential sanctions against Coupang are being viewed not merely as domestic regulatory issues related to data protection, but as trade barriers affecting U.S. companies.
Previously, the House Judiciary Committee released a 35-page report alleging that the South Korean government has been exerting discriminatory pressure on American companies like Coupang. The report characterized the government's investigation, data requests, and potential fines following the data breach as targeted actions against U.S. firms.
The South Korean government quickly rebutted these claims. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The report reflects only the claims of Coupang and does not accurately capture the position and facts explained by the South Korean government to the U.S. Judiciary Committee." The National Intelligence Service also labeled the assertions made by Coupang in the report as "clearly false."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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