Seoul: Cheong Wa Dae stated that South Korea's ongoing investigation into Coupang Inc. should not be perceived as a broader trade issue with the United States due to the "unprecedented" nature of the personal data leakage case.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Coupang, a U.S.-listed e-commerce company, is under scrutiny by Korean authorities following a leak of personal information impacting approximately 34 million customers late last year. Coupang, founded by Korean American entrepreneur Kim Bom-suk, known as Bom Kim, conducts about 90 percent of its business within South Korea.

A senior presidential official remarked, "The Coupang incident involves an unprecedented scale of personal data leakage, and relevant authorities are conducting investigations in line with applicable laws." The official emphasized that interpreting the situation as a Korea-U.S. diplomatic or trade issue would be inappropriate and that efforts will be made to communicate this stance to U.S. counterparts.

This statement follows claims by some U.S. lawmakers that Korean regulators are targeting American technology firms, including Coupang, raising concerns about potential discriminatory actions. In response to these concerns, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with U.S. lawmakers and officials in Washington earlier this week. During these meetings, Yeo underscored that the probe, conducted in accordance with relevant laws, should not be viewed as a trade issue between Seoul and Washington.