Key facts
- South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan will visit the U.S. this week.
- The visit includes attending the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center opening ceremony.
- U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is also expected to attend the ceremony.
- Discussions may include the ongoing investigation into a data leak at U.S.-listed e-commerce firm Coupang.
- U.S. officials and lawmakers have raised concerns about Coupang's treatment amid the investigation.
- South Korea maintains its investigation into Coupang is being conducted without discrimination.
South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan is scheduled to visit the United States this week to attend the opening ceremony of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center. The trip, set for Thursday local time, is expected to focus on advancing bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also anticipated to be present.
However, attention is also focused on whether Minister Kim will use the opportunity to address the contentious issue surrounding the U.S.-listed e-commerce company Coupang. Friction has emerged between Seoul and Washington following South Korea's investigation into a massive data leak at Coupang. Some U.S. officials and lawmakers have expressed concerns about the company potentially facing unfair treatment.
South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-wha recently returned to Seoul for consultations regarding the bilateral issues. The ongoing tension has intensified after a U.S. House Judiciary Committee report and a White House official criticized South Korea's regulatory probes into Coupang's data leak as discriminatory. The South Korean government, however, has consistently stated that the investigation is being conducted impartially and in accordance with domestic law and due process.
The data leak, which occurred late last year, reportedly affected nearly 34 million user accounts, representing a significant portion of South Korea's population. Coupang, in its own investigation, had previously suggested the incident impacted a much smaller number of customers, around 3,000.