On Monday, Harold Rogers, the interim representative of Coupang’s Korean subsidiary, which is under investigation by about 10 South Korean government agencies over a major data breach, appeared before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.
Rogers entered the committee meeting room 2237 on the second floor of the Rayburn House Office Building in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., at approximately 9:42 AM.
When asked by Korean reporters about his stance for the day, Rogers did not respond and proceeded into the meeting room.
On February 5, Republican House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Scott Fitzgerald, chair of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Antitrust, issued a subpoena to Rogers demanding his testimony. They also requested all materials related to communications with the South Korean government and written documentation regarding the potential business impact of the South Korean government’s investigation on Coupang.
The House Judiciary Committee is expected to question Rogers based on these records to determine whether the various sanctions imposed by the South Korean government constitute discriminatory treatment against Coupang.
In their letter, they pointed out that despite trade agreements designed to prevent discrimination against U.S. companies, South Korean regulatory authorities have repeatedly engaged in discriminatory treatment, unfair enforcement, and threats of criminal penalties.
They also noted that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has demanded severe penalties and significant fines against Coupang, and the Fair Trade Commission has hinted at a potential business suspension for the company.
The committee stated that it needs to investigate the scope and nature of these efforts, as well as their impact on Americans’ due process rights and on U.S. global competitiveness, to prepare effective legislation that includes new laws protecting U.S. businesses and citizens from the discriminatory laws and enforcement actions of foreign governments.
This summons stems from the Coupang situation, prompting a full investigation into whether the South Korean government’s digital regulations have infringed upon the due process rights and global competitiveness of American companies. The committee has officially announced its intention to pursue new protective legislation to block foreign government regulations based on this investigation.
Rogers was appointed as the interim representative of Coupang’s Korean subsidiary following a massive data breach affecting 33.7 million individuals. Initially, the National Assembly planned to summon both Kim Beom Seok, the chairman of Coupang Inc. (the U.S. headquarters), and Rogers for a hearing. However, only Rogers appeared before the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee last December. Following that, Rogers faced police investigations for allegations of evidence destruction and perjury.
This summons has drawn particular attention, as the U.S. Congress and administration have reacted with great sensitivity to foreign government regulations affecting domestic tech companies.
Although the Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were illegal, Trump has decided to impose a 15% global tariff starting on Tuesday, utilizing Section 122 of the Trade Act.
Notably, the Trump administration has been pressuring trade partners, including South Korea, through Section 301 of the Trade Act, which grants the administration the authority to impose tariffs in response to unfair or unreasonable discriminatory policies and practices by foreign governments.
In South Korea’s case, there is a high likelihood that they will raise issues regarding discrimination against digital technology companies.
Recently, the U.S. government has argued that proposed legislation related to online platforms and the recently enacted False Information Elimination Act (amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act) discriminate against American companies.
