US Republican lawmaker Rep. Darrell Issa warned of 'consequences' for state-sponsored hostile actions against American companies following a meeting with South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo. The remarks come amid US concerns over Korea's regulatory scrutiny of e-commerce giant Coupang Inc. after a massive data leak. Issa criticized the Korean government's treatment of Coupang as unfair.
WASHINGTON — US Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) stated on Monday that there are "consequences" for state-sponsored "hostile actions" toward American companies after meeting South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo on Jan. 12. The discussion focused on US concerns regarding Korea's regulatory efforts on online platforms and the data leak incident involving Coupang Inc., a US-listed e-commerce firm.
In a post on X, Issa wrote: "My bottom line: There are consequences for state-sponsored hostile actions towards American companies and American citizens." He noted that during a "good" discussion with Yeo, he made clear that the "unjustified targeting of American technology companies and unfair treatment of Coupang by the Lee administration are not acceptable, especially from a friend of 70 years."
Issa added: "Korea is a vital ally, but I will work with my colleagues in Congress and the Trump Administration to ensure that U.S. companies are not mistreated, that American exporters have access to foreign markets, and that countries like Korea keep the commitments they have made in recent trade and investment agreements."
Yeo's trip followed the US State Department's expression of "significant concerns" last month over a revision to the Information and Communications Network Act, aimed at tackling false online information but criticized for potentially affecting US online companies. Coupang faces public scrutiny in Korea after revelations that about 33 million customer accounts were accessed in the data leak, exposing names, phone numbers, email addresses, and other details.
In a separate post, Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI) expressed being "appalled" at the Korean government's call for criminal charges against Coupang's US executives, calling it a "politically motivated witch hunt." He said: "The United States government will continue to pursue measures to hold the Korean government accountable for their disturbing treatment of American companies." The incident underscores tensions in US-Korea trade relations.
