On Thursday, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, addressed a U.S. Congressional report alleging discriminatory treatment of American companies, including Coupang, by the South Korean government. Lee stated that in the official records of the U.S. Congress, South Korea is being portrayed as a country that lies.
During a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that morning, Lee remarked that the government’s confidential discussions have been fully exposed on the U.S. Congress website, complete with document numbers.
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee published a 35-page report titled, Competitive Restraint: Korea’s Discriminatory Attacks on U.S.-Owned Firms, on its website, along with a related press release.
Based on testimonies and documents obtained by the committee, the report alleges that the South Korean government is employing all regulatory means against foreign companies, asserting that the Fair Trade Commission is particularly aggressive in its actions against American firms.
Lee pointed out that the report contains allegations of systematic discrimination against American companies, including Coupang, by the South Korean government. He noted that yet, a day after the report’s release, the government has remained silent.
He described the report as a one-sided document heavily reliant on Coupang’s materials and testimonies. Lee added that despite this, his concern outweighs my anger because this isn’t a hasty move, but a carefully prepared strategy five months in the making.
Lee emphasized that regardless of the content’s accuracy, the mere fact that such a document has been officially recorded by the U.S. Congress is already detrimental to them.
He continued that a few days ago, an insider familiar with U.S. political affairs mentioned that while President Donald Trump isn’t currently scrutinizing South Korea’s investment commitments, the Korean issue could resurface at any moment once he begins performance reviews ahead of the midterm elections.
Lee stressed that then that review comes, it needs to present actual performance results, not just promises. Hotel economics may work as political misdirection domestically, but it won’t fly in Washington.
Lee highlighted that last December, the National Intelligence Service claimed it had not given any directives regarding Coupang, yet the U.S. Congress has now released contradictory documents. He expressed hope that the intelligence agency’s statements are truthful, urging that if the U.S. side is presenting inaccurate information, it should be corrected.
He insisted that the government must immediately activate a comprehensive response system and deliver an official rebuttal to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) regarding the extent of the leak and the legitimacy of the investigation. Lee emphasized that before the second half begins, the South Korean government must position itself in front of that open goal.
