[INTERVIEW] 'Coupang uses US lobbying to frame Korean sanctions as discrimination'

Rep. Min Byoung-dug said in an interview on Thursday that Korea’s sanctions on Coupang address the company’s conduct, not its American ties, and that its lobbying in Washington has framed enforcement as discrimination. He urged the government to apply Korean law equally to companies operating in the country and keep law enforcement separate from trade negotiations. His comments contrast with concerns raised by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and other U.S. lawmakers. Min cited enforcement against Korean companies and U.S. technology firms as examples of competition rules being applied to business conduct.

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee issued a report in July accusing the Korean government of discriminatory treatment and excessive investigations and penalties against Coupang.

The Personal Information Protection Commission imposed a 624.7 billion won fine on Coupang over a data breach from the previous year.

Min said Coupang Inc. spent $10.75 million on lobbying in the five years after its 2021 U.S. stock market listing, while the number of lobbyists working for it rose from four to 32.

The Fair Trade Commission fined Naver 26.7 billion won in 2020 over allegations that it manipulated shopping and video search algorithms to favor its own services.

Min said Coupang directly employs about 87,000 people in Korea and that the overwhelming majority of its sales and consumer base are concentrated there.

Published Nov 5, 2026 4:16 pm KST

Seoul urged to enforce competition laws regardless of corporate nationality

Rep. Min Byoung-dug of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea prepares to ask questions during the National Assembly's annual audit in Seoul, Oct. 15. Courtesy of Min's office

Coupang is using its lobbying network in Washington to portray Korea’s enforcement of domestic laws as discrimination against American businesses, according to a ruling party lawmaker, who said Seoul’s sanctions on the e-commerce firm are based on the firm’s obvious misconduct, not its nationality.

"Claims that Korea is discriminating against an American company are not based on the facts, and they are a narrative created by Coupang's lobbying in the United States,” Rep. Min Byoung-dug from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) told The Korea Times during an interview on Thursday.

"We must distinguish the position of Washington from the voice Coupang has bought through lobbying."

He argued that allegations of anti-U.S. bias distort Korea’s enforcement record and risk turning a domestic competition law dispute into a bilateral trade issue.

The second-term lawmaker urged the government to stand firm on the principle that companies operating in Korea must be subject to the same legal standards, regardless of where they are headquartered or listed.

His comments offer a contrasting perspective to concerns expressed by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

In July, the committee issued a report accusing the Korean government of discriminatory treatment against Coupang, and expressed concerns that authorities here slap excessive investigations and penalties on the U.S.-listed firm.

The criticism came shortly after Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission imposed a record 624.7 billion won ($451 million) fine on the e-commerce giant over a data breach incident last year.

A U.S. lawmaker also recently introduced legislation that would block foreign officials’ entry into the U.S. when they are accused of using their influence to discriminate against American firms, citing the case of Coupang.

Coupang’s logo is displayed outside the company’s office in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

The controversy further strained bilateral relations in October when U.S. visa applications by Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the DPK and the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee Chairman Jin Sung-joon had been delayed or denied.

The issue fueled concerns that the dispute over Coupang could extend beyond corporate and regulatory matters and become a source of diplomatic friction between Seoul and Washington.

Min, however, argued that such a concern from Washington should be viewed in the context of Coupang’s lobbying activities in the U.S., rather than accepted as evidence of discriminatory enforcement by Korean authorities.

According to the lawmaker, Coupang Inc., the U.S.-listed parent firm of its Korean operating subsidiary, spent $10.75 million on lobbying during the five years that followed its U.S. stock market listing in 2021, while increasing the number of lobbyists working on its behalf from four to 32 during the period.

Min also cited the company's hiring of a lobbying firm founded by an individual with longstanding ties to U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as disclosures concerning advisory fees that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer received from Coupang before taking office. Greer received a $10,000 advisory fee from the e-commerce firm in May 2024 while serving as a partner at King & Spalding.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer prepares to testify at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 22. Reuters-Yonhap

At the heart of Min's argument is the claim that Korea applies competition laws according to corporate conduct, not nationality. He pointed to the Fair Trade Commission's 2020 decision to fine Naver 26.7 billion won over allegations that the country's largest internet portal manipulated its shopping and video search algorithms to favor its own services. Naver is Korea’s homegrown portal operator.

Min said the case illustrates that domestic companies face equal regulatory scrutiny and can pursue the same legal remedies available to foreign companies.

He also cited enforcement actions involving domestic platform giants, such as Baedal Minjok, saying the competition watchdog has confirmed that it applies the same standards to Korean and foreign businesses.

He further argued that Korea's enforcement approach is consistent with the principles of U.S. competition policy. The U.S. has itself taken action against major technology companies over conduct involving market dominance, he noted.

Min said a 2024 federal court ruling that Google illegally maintained a monopoly through anticompetitive conduct, as well as the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust case against Amazon, back up his argument. He also cited a $2.5 billion settlement involving Amazon over allegations of deceptive Prime subscription practices and barriers to cancellation.

"It is difficult to argue that Korea is discriminating against an American company by regulating conduct that the U.S. itself treats as unlawful in its own market," he said.

The lawmaker also stressed that Coupang's business is closely tied to Korea, regardless of its U.S. listing. The company directly employs about 87,000 people in Korea, while the overwhelming majority of its sales and consumer base are concentrated in the country.

Applying Korean law to business activities conducted in the Korean market is consistent with international practice, Min said. A company's place of incorporation or stock market listing should not exempt it from the rules governing its operations.

Coupang interim CEO Harold Rogers requests a chance to respond during a hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 31, 2025. Yonhap

For the Korean government, the key is to prevent the dispute from becoming a bargaining chip in bilateral trade negotiations.

"Law enforcement must be kept separate from trade negotiations," he said. "These measures cannot be exchanged for concessions in tariff negotiations or investment discussions. If the government backs down, the rule of law itself becomes a bargaining chip."

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韩国众议员闵炳德周四在接受采访时表示，韩国对Coupang的制裁针对的是该公司的行为，而非其与美国的联系，并指出韩国在华盛顿的游说活动将执法描绘成歧视。他敦促政府平等地对所有在韩国运营的公司适用韩国法律，并将执法与贸易谈判分开。他的言论与美国众议院司法委员会和其他美国议员的担忧形成鲜明对比。闵炳德以韩国公司和美国科技公司遭受的执法为例，指出竞争规则被应用于商业行为。

美国众议院司法委员会于 7 月发布报告，指责韩国政府对 Coupang 进行歧视性待遇、过度调查和处罚。

韩国个人信息保护委员会对Coupang公司处以6247亿韩元的罚款，原因是该公司去年发生数据泄露事件。

Min表示，Coupang Inc.在2021年美国股市上市后的五年里，在游说方面花费了1075万美元，而为其工作的游说人员数量也从4人增加到32人。

2020年，韩国公平交易委员会对Naver处以267亿韩元的罚款，原因是该公司被指控操纵购物和视频搜索算法，以偏袒自己的服务。

Min表示，Coupang在韩国直接雇佣了约87000名员工，其绝大部分销售额和消费群体都集中在韩国。

发布于2026年11月5日下午4:16（韩国标准时间）

首尔方面被敦促不考虑公司国籍，严格执行竞争法

10月15日，在首尔举行的国会年度审计会议上，韩国执政党共同民主党议员闵炳塚准备提问。图片由闵炳塚办公室提供。

据执政党一名议员称，Coupang正在利用其在华盛顿的游说网络，将韩国执行国内法律的行为描绘成对美国企业的歧视。该议员表示，首尔对这家电子商务公司的制裁是基于该公司明显的违法行为，而不是其国籍。

“韩国歧视美国公司的说法没有事实依据，这是 Coupang 在美国游说炮制出来的说辞，”韩国执政党共同民主党议员闵炳道周四在接受《韩国时报》采访时表示。

“我们必须区分华盛顿的立场和Coupang通过游说收买的话语权。”

他认为，有关反美偏见的指控歪曲了韩国的执法记录，并有可能将国内竞争法纠纷演变为双边贸易问题。

这位连任两届的议员敦促政府坚持这一原则，即在韩国运营的公司必须遵守相同的法律标准，无论其总部设在哪里或在韩国上市。

他的言论与美国众议院司法委员会表达的担忧形成了鲜明对比。

7 月，该委员会发布报告，指责韩国政府对 Coupang 进行歧视性待遇，并表示担忧韩国当局对这家在美国上市的公司进行过度调查和处罚。

此前不久，韩国个人信息保护委员会因去年的一起数据泄露事件，对这家电子商务巨头处以创纪录的 6247 亿韩元（4.51 亿美元）罚款。

美国一位议员最近也提出了一项立法，该立法将阻止被指控利用其影响力歧视美国公司的外国官员入境美国，并援引了 Coupang 的案例。

周三，Coupang的标志展示在该公司位于首尔的办公楼外。（韩联社）

10 月份，朝鲜民主主义人民党议员郑正来和国会国防委员会委员长晋成俊的美国签证申请被延迟或拒绝，进一步加剧了双边关系的紧张。

这一事件加剧了人们的担忧，即围绕 Coupang 的争端可能会超出公司和监管事务的范畴，成为首尔和华盛顿之间外交摩擦的根源。

然而，闵认为，华盛顿的这种担忧应该放在 Coupang 在美国的游说活动背景下看待，而不是将其视为韩国当局歧视性执法的证据。

据这位议员称，Coupang Inc.（其韩国运营子公司的美国上市母公司）在 2021 年于美国股市上市后的五年内，花费了 1075 万美元用于游说，同时在此期间，代表该公司工作的游说者人数从 4 人增加到 32 人。

闵还提到，该公司聘请了一家游说公司，而这家公司是由一位与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普关系密切的人士创立的。此外，他还披露了美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔在就任前从Coupang收取咨询费的情况。格里尔在2024年5月担任金斯伯里律师事务所合伙人期间，从这家电商公司收取了1万美元的咨询费。

7月22日，美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔准备在华盛顿特区国会山出席参议院财政委员会的听证会。（路透社-韩联社）

闵先生论点的核心在于，韩国适用竞争法是基于企业行为而非国籍。他指出，韩国公平交易委员会在2020年对韩国最大的门户网站Naver处以267亿韩元的罚款，原因是Naver被指控操纵其购物和视频搜索算法，以偏袒自身服务。Naver是韩国本土的门户网站运营商。

闵先生表示，该案例表明，国内公司面临与外国公司同等的监管审查，并可寻求与外国公司相同的法律救济。

他还列举了涉及韩国国内平台巨头（如韩国国民）的执法行动，称竞争监管机构已确认对韩国企业和外国企业适用相同的标准。

他进一步指出，韩国的执法方式与美国的竞争政策原则相符。他还提到，美国自身也曾对涉及市场支配地位的大型科技公司采取过行动。

闵先生表示，2024年联邦法院的一项裁决认定谷歌通过反竞争行为非法维持垄断地位，以及联邦贸易委员会对亚马逊提起的反垄断诉讼，都支持了他的论点。他还提到亚马逊因涉嫌欺骗性Prime会员订阅行为和设置取消障碍而支付的25亿美元和解金。

他说：“很难说韩国通过监管美国自身在其市场上视为非法的行为来歧视一家美国公司。”

这位议员还强调，无论Coupang是否在美国上市，其业务都与韩国紧密相连。该公司在韩国直接雇佣了约8.7万名员工，其绝大部分销售额和消费群体也集中在韩国。

闵先生表示，将韩国法律适用于在韩国市场开展的商业活动符合国际惯例。公司的注册地或上市地点不应使其免受相关法律法规的约束。

Coupang临时首席执行官哈罗德·罗杰斯请求在2025年12月31日于首尔举行的国会听证会上作出回应。（韩联社）

对韩国政府而言，关键在于防止争端成为双边贸易谈判的筹码。

他说：“执法必须与贸易谈判分开。这些措施不能用来换取关税谈判或投资磋商中的让步。如果政府退缩，法治本身就会成为讨价还价的筹码。”

在监管压力下，Coupang不断增加的亏损威胁到其增长模式。

【封面故事】前美国商会主席：Coupang事件成为韩国对待美国企业的风向标

美国联邦贸易委员会主席：主席表示，美国政府对Coupang施加的压力并未动摇美国联邦贸易委员会的立场。