S. Korea's President Pursues 'Healthy' US Relations
Speaking at a cabinet meeting without elaborating further, Lee framed the dispute in measured but deliberate terms.
"(We) need the wisdom to build healthy, future-oriented relations with traditional allies, while resolving pending issues based on mutual respect, common sense and principles," he said.
The remarks come as tensions simmer on multiple fronts — including reports linking the North Korean site of Kusong to a potential uranium enrichment facility — but the Coupang controversy has emerged as the most immediate flashpoint in the Seoul–Washington relationship.
A Data Breach, A Probe, and a Lobbying Blitz
The dispute traces back to November 2025, when Coupang disclosed that the personal data of 33.7 million customers had been exposed — including names, phone numbers, email addresses, and delivery information. South Korean authorities subsequently opened an investigation into the company and transactions connected to its US headquarters.
Since that scandal broke, Coupang has poured more than $1 million into lobbying activities in the United States this year alone, targeting both the White House and Congress, according to the Korean JoongAng Daily. Disclosure filings confirm the firm has engaged multiple government bodies, stoking concern in South Korea that those efforts could reverberate through bilateral ties with Washington.
Lawmakers Push Back Against 'Foreign Interference'
The political response in Seoul sharpened considerably on Tuesday, as roughly 90 South Korean lawmakers publicly rejected what they characterized as undue American pressure on a domestic legal proceeding. A bloc of legislators announced plans to submit a formal protest letter to the US Embassy in Seoul, insisting the investigation must run its course free from external influence.
The legislative pushback follows a move by dozens of US Republican lawmakers to raise objections over the probe, arguing that the inquiry unfairly singles out a US-listed company — a position Seoul's political class is now forcefully contesting.
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