Washington: The South Korean Embassy in the United States has responded to a letter from U.S. Republican lawmakers, who raised concerns about perceived discriminatory regulations targeting e-commerce giant Coupang and other American businesses. The foreign ministry confirmed the receipt and reply on Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, 54 Republican members of the U.S. House, associated with the Republican Study Committee (RSC), had previously sent a letter to South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha. The letter urged the South Korean government to cease what the lawmakers termed as unfair practices against U.S. companies, including Coupang.

In response, the South Korean embassy, under Ambassador Kang's signature, emphasized that all investigations and actions involving Coupang are conducted in a "fair" and "non-discriminatory" manner, adhering to domestic laws and regulations. "The government will continue to follow a non-discriminatory policy toward U.S. digital firms, including Coupang, and will communicate its stance to the U.S. Congress," a South Korean foreign ministry official stated.

The issue has highlighted tensions between Seoul and Washington, with some U.S. officials perceiving the ongoing probe into Coupang as part of broader unfair treatment of the U.S.-listed e-commerce company. The investigation in Seoul involves a significant data breach affecting over 33 million users, which has drawn scrutiny from both South Korean authorities and international observers.