Seoul: More than 80 lawmakers from South Korea's ruling bloc are preparing to send a joint letter to the U.S. government, protesting its defense of the e-commerce giant Coupang. They argue that the U.S. stance represents an infringement on South Korea's judicial sovereignty, political sources revealed.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the letter, co-signed by 83 lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, and the Jinbo Party, is set to be delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul following a press conference at the National Assembly on Tuesday. This action is in response to Washington's complaints regarding what some perceive as unfair treatment of Coupang, a U.S.-listed firm, amid a South Korean investigation into a massive data breach affecting over 33 million Coupang customers.

The plan for sending the letter was disclosed in a request by DP Representatives Kim Nam-geun, Park Hong-bae, and others, who sought fellow lawmakers' signatures. They contend that the U.S. government recently insisted that Seoul guarantee the personal safety of Coupang Chairman Kim Bom-suk, threatening to suspend high-level bilateral consultations if this assurance was not provided. The lawmakers argue that this demand constitutes a "clear infringement on judicial sovereignty."

Additionally, they noted a letter sent by over 50 U.S. Republican lawmakers to South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-wha last week, urging an end to what they described as a "targeted assault" on American companies. The South Korean lawmakers warned that the situation could escalate beyond a diplomatic dispute or a sovereignty issue, potentially negatively impacting South Korea's labor rights and fair economic order.