Key facts
- South Korea's presidential office has refuted a U.S. House committee report alleging discriminatory targeting of Coupang.
- The ruling Democratic Party called the U.S. report 'seriously distorted' and based on one-sided claims by Coupang.
- The DP urged Coupang to take responsibility for its data leak and stop shifting blame to the government.
- Coupang has faced investigations and public criticism over a massive data leak affecting over 33 million users.
- South Korea's government stated that investigations and regulatory measures concerning the data leak were conducted fairly.
South Korea's presidential office has refuted a U.S. House committee report that alleged discriminatory targeting of the e-commerce company Coupang. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) echoed this sentiment, expressing "strong regret" over the report, which it described as "seriously distorted" and reliant on one-sided claims from Coupang.
The DP spokesperson, Jang Yoon-mi, stated that the South Korean government does not discriminate against companies based on nationality. The party urged Coupang to cease shifting responsibility to the government for its own alleged wrongdoings, particularly in relation to a massive data leak that is believed to have affected over 33 million users. The DP also criticized Coupang for remaining silent on the data breach while portraying itself as a victim.
Coupang has been under scrutiny for a significant data leak, leading to investigations and public criticism. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee's interim staff report claimed that Coupang has been a "consistent target" of the South Korean government, citing "coercive investigations, overly burdensome regulatory requirements and excessive fines and penalties."
Statements expressing regret over the report were also issued by the National Assembly, the presidential office, and the foreign ministry. These entities emphasized that investigations and regulatory actions concerning the data leak were conducted in a fair manner. The report emerged amidst concerns that Coupang's extensive lobbying efforts in the U.S., which reportedly exceeded $1 million since the data leak scandal, could strain relations between the two allied nations.