Coupang dispute could complicate broader US-South Korea agenda
South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha will temporarily return to Seoul this week for consultations with government officials on diplomatic, security and trade issues, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, as a dispute over the treatment of U.S.-based e-commerce company Coupang adds friction to the bilateral relationship.
Kang will stay in South Korea from Wednesday through Sunday and meet officials from the presidential National Security Office and other government agencies, the ministry said. Her return comes amid concern that the Coupang dispute could complicate negotiations between Seoul and Washington on other bilateral issues.
A Republican-led U.S. House Judiciary Committee report recently accused the South Korean government of discriminating against Coupang and other American-owned companies. The South Korean government has rejected the allegations, saying its investigations and regulatory measures involving Coupang were conducted fairly and in accordance with domestic law.
The House Judiciary Committee’s interim report accused South Korean authorities of using discriminatory investigations and regulatory measures against Coupang following a major customer data breach. Seoul said the report relied heavily on Coupang’s claims and did not adequately reflect information provided by the South Korean government.
Some observers have interpreted Kang’s return as a sign that the government is seeking an urgent response to growing friction in relations with the United States. The Foreign Ministry said, however, that the visit was a routine consultation intended to allow senior officials to hear the ambassador’s assessment of developments in Washington.
“Kang’s temporary return and consultations with headquarters will be a timely and useful opportunity to deepen communication and cooperation between South Korea and the United States and explore ways to further develop bilateral relations,” ministry spokesman Park Il said during a regular briefing.
Park said the consultations would give Kang an opportunity to present recommendations and candid views on ways to strengthen the alliance. He added that ambassadors assigned to other countries have also returned to Seoul for similar consultations.
A ministry official said Kang was not summoned because of a single development or at a particular moment of crisis. “The purpose is to create an opportunity for the official directing operations in the field and officials at headquarters to discuss various bilateral issues and matters of mutual concern,” the official said.
Officials are expected to discuss negotiations over a joint fact sheet covering security issues, the transfer of wartime operational control, tariffs and disagreements surrounding Coupang.
Kang said during a meeting with South Korean correspondents in Washington last Wednesday that the two governments shared an understanding that the Coupang dispute should be managed in a stable manner so it would not burden the broader bilateral relationship. She also said the balance of benefits established under existing South Korea-U.S. tariff agreements should be preserved as Washington considers a possible investigation under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act.
The dispute has emerged as a potential source of tension as the allies conduct negotiations involving trade, defense and security cooperation.