FTC unfazed by US pressure over Coupang: chairman

The FTC said it will not be swayed by U.S. pressure over the Coupang dispute and will keep enforcing the law without discrimination. Chairman Ju Biung-ghi said the diplomatic handling should be left to the foreign ministry, even as Washington escalates its criticism. The dispute stems from Coupang’s data breach investigation and a U.S. lawmaker’s proposed measure targeting foreign officials accused of discriminatory actions against American companies.

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee issued a report in July accusing Korean authorities of discriminatory treatment of Coupang.

A U.S. lawmaker later introduced legislation that would restrict U.S. entry to foreign officials accused of using government authority to discriminate against American companies.

Coupang has been under FTC investigation since late last year after a massive data breach that affected more than 37 million users.

The Personal Information Protection Commission imposed a record 624.7 billion won fine on Coupang over the breach.

Ju said the FTC has enforced competition laws against foreign companies for more than 25 years and would continue to do so fairly.

Published Sep 21, 2026 4:01 pm KST

Seoul, Washington show no signs of compromise in Coupang dispute

Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Ju Biung-ghi speaks during a press conference at Government Complex Sejong, Monday. Courtesy of FTC

The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) does not take Washington’s threat to bar Chairman Ju Biung-ghi from entering the United States seriously, brushing off escalating U.S. pressure over the watchdog’s regulatory crackdown on U.S.-listed Coupang, the head of the authority said Monday.

“We will not be swayed by this, but will continue law enforcement in a nondiscriminatory manner,” Ju told reporters during a press conference in Sejong, referring to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s recent moves targeting alleged discrimination against U.S. companies.

Ju’s comments come as the Coupang dispute has grown into a bigger source of tension in Korea-U.S. economic relations. The U.S. committee issued a report in July accusing Korean authorities of discriminatory treatment of Coupang, arguing that the company had been subjected to excessive investigations and penalties.

A U.S. lawmaker subsequently introduced legislation that would restrict U.S. entry to foreign officials accused of using government authority to discriminate against American companies, explicitly citing the Coupang case as an example.

The proposed measure would allow U.S. authorities to deny entry to or deport foreign officials deemed to have imposed discriminatory investigations, fines or regulatory measures on American businesses.

Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Ju Biung-ghi answers questions from reporters during a press conference at Government Complex Sejong, Monday. Courtesy of FTC

Ju said the antitrust regulator would continue to enforce the law fairly and without discrimination, while leaving the handling of the dispute with Washington to the government’s diplomatic authorities.

“There have been multiple reports from the committee, but rather than responding directly, I believe it would be appropriate for us to convey our views through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if necessary,” Ju said.

Korea’s regulatory actions against Coupang have raised concerns that disputes over the enforcement of Korean competition and data protection laws could increasingly spill over into bilateral trade and diplomatic relations.

Coupang has been a target of the FTC investigation since late last year following a massive data breach that affected more than 37 million users. The Personal Information Protection Commission imposed a record 624.7 billion won ($451 million) fine on the e-commerce giant over the breach.

Ju also sought to frame the FTC’s treatment of foreign companies as part of a longstanding enforcement policy, rather than a response specifically directed at U.S. businesses.

The commission has enforced competition laws against foreign companies for more than 25 years, Ju said, adding that Korea’s position as a major information technology market had made such enforcement unavoidable.

“Over the past 25 years, we have had no choice but to enforce the law against foreign companies more actively than competition authorities in other countries,” he said.

Washington has portrayed the Coupang case as evidence of discriminatory treatment of an American company, while Seoul maintains that its regulatory actions are based on domestic law and applied regardless of nationality.

Coupang founder Kim Bom-suk, also known as Bom Kim, poses at the New York Stock Exchange after listing the company, March 11, 2021. AP-Yonhap

The Korean government previously rejected allegations of discrimination, saying investigations and regulatory measures involving Coupang were conducted lawfully and fairly. The foreign ministry also expressed regret over the U.S. House committee report, arguing that they reflected Coupang’s claims without sufficiently considering Seoul’s position.

For Seoul, the challenge is now to prevent the dispute from becoming a more serious source of tension with Washington without compromising the independence of domestic law enforcement.

Ju’s remarks suggest the FTC intends to leave the diplomatic management of the dispute to the foreign authority, while keeping its own enforcement decisions insulated from political pressure abroad.

“We will continue to enforce the law fairly and without discrimination, just as we have done so far,” Ju said.

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美国联邦贸易委员会表示，不会因美国在Coupang争议问题上施加的压力而动摇，并将继续秉持公正执法原则。委员会主席朱炳基表示，尽管华盛顿方面加大了批评力度，但外交处理仍应交由外交部负责。这场争议源于Coupang的数据泄露调查，以及一位美国议员提出的针对被控歧视美国公司的外国官员的提案。

美国众议院司法委员会7月发布报告，指责韩国当局对Coupang进行歧视性对待。

后来，一位美国议员提出了一项立法，限制被指控利用政府权力歧视美国公司的外国官员入境美国。

自去年底发生大规模数据泄露事件（影响超过 3700 万用户）以来，Coupang 一直受到美国联邦贸易委员会的调查。

韩国个人信息保护委员会对Coupang处以创纪录的6247亿韩元罚款，原因是该信息泄露事件。

朱先生表示，美国公平交易委员会对外国公司执行竞争法已有25年以上，并将继续公平地执行。

发布于2026年9月21日下午4:01（韩国标准时间）

首尔和华盛顿在Coupang争端中没有表现出任何妥协迹象。

韩国公平交易委员会（FTC）主席朱炳基周一在世宗市政府大楼举行的新闻发布会上发表讲话。图片由FTC提供。

公平交易委员会（FTC）主席周一表示，该委员会并未认真对待华盛顿方面禁止会长朱炳基入境美国的威胁，并对美国不断升级的、针对该监管机构打击在美国上市的Coupang的压力不予理会。

“我们不会被此事动摇，将继续以非歧视的方式执法，”朱在世宗举行的新闻发布会上告诉记者，他指的是美国众议院司法委员会最近针对涉嫌歧视美国公司的举措。

朱的评论发表之际，Coupang事件已演变为韩美经济关系中一个日益紧张的根源。美国委员会7月发布报告，指责韩国当局对Coupang进行歧视性对待，认为该公司遭受了过度的调查和处罚。

随后，一位美国议员提出了一项立法，限制被指控利用政府权力歧视美国公司的外国官员入境美国，并明确以 Coupang 案为例。

拟议措施将允许美国当局拒绝被认为对美国企业实施歧视性调查、罚款或监管措施的外国官员入境或将其驱逐出境。

周一，公平交易委员会（FTC）主席朱炳基在世宗政府大楼举行的新闻发布会上回答记者提问。图片由FTC提供。

朱表示，反垄断监管机构将继续公平公正地执法，而将与华盛顿的争端交由政府外交部门处理。

“委员会已经提交了多份报告，但我认为，与其直接回应，不如在必要时通过外交部表达我们的观点，”朱说。

韩国对 Coupang 采取的监管行动引发了人们的担忧，即围绕韩国竞争和数据保护法执行的争端可能会越来越多地蔓延到双边贸易和外交关系中。

自去年底发生影响超过3700万用户的大规模数据泄露事件以来，Coupang一直是韩国联邦贸易委员会（FTC）的调查对象。韩国个人信息保护委员会就此次泄露事件对这家电商巨头处以创纪录的6247亿韩元（约合4.51亿美元）罚款。

Ju 还试图将联邦贸易委员会对待外国公司的方式描述为一项长期执法政策的一部分，而不是专门针对美国企业的回应。

Ju表示，该委员会对外国公司执行竞争法已有25年以上，并补充说，韩国作为主要信息技术市场的地位使得这种执法不可避免。

他说：“过去25年来，我们别无选择，只能比其他国家的竞争主管机构更积极地对外国公司执行法律。”

华盛顿方面将 Coupang 案描述为对一家美国公司进行歧视性待遇的证据，而首尔方面则坚持认为，其监管行动是基于国内法律，并且不考虑国籍而适用。

Coupang创始人金范硕（Kim Bom-suk，又名Bom Kim）于2021年3月11日在纽约证券交易所公司上市后留影。（美联社-韩联社）

韩国政府此前否认存在歧视，称针对Coupang的调查和监管措施均依法公正进行。外交部还对美国众议院委员会的报告表示遗憾，认为该报告只反映了Coupang的说法，而没有充分考虑首尔的立场。

对首尔而言，现在的挑战是如何在不损害国内执法独立性的前提下，防止争端演变成与华盛顿之间更加严重的紧张局势。

Ju 的言论表明，美国公平交易委员会打算将争端的外交管理交给外国当局，同时使其自身的执法决定不受国外政治压力的影响。

“我们将继续公平公正地执法，一如既往，”朱先生说。

总理强调3500亿美元的盈利能力；美国投资承诺；驳斥针对Coupang的歧视指控

韩裔美国活动人士警告首尔方面不要升级Coupang事件

美国政客误解了Coupang的作用：贸易部长

韩国总统府：Coupang调查不具歧视性