Seoul: The foreign ministry expressed regret over a U.S. House Judiciary Committee report accusing Seoul of discriminatory actions against e-commerce giant Coupang Inc. and other American firms. The ministry's response came after the committee's interim staff report, released Wednesday U.S. time, claimed Seoul has targeted Coupang with coercive investigations, burdensome regulations, and excessive penalties to favor local companies.

According to Yonhap News Agency, ministry spokesperson Park Il stated during a press briefing that the report appears one-sided, only reflecting Coupang's claims and neglecting the Seoul government's perspective and factual data shared with the committee. Park emphasized that investigations and regulatory actions concerning Coupang have been lawfully conducted under South Korean law, ensuring fair and non-discriminatory processes irrespective of company nationality.

Coupang has been under scrutiny following a significant data breach in South Korea affecting over 33 million users, drawing public criticism and prompting investigations. The U.S. committee's report has stirred concerns about the potential impact of the Coupang issue on bilateral relations.

Park affirmed that the government will engage in ongoing discussions with U.S. counterparts to prevent the Coupang matter from negatively influencing security discussions between South Korea and the United States.