Trade minister urges USTR to separate Coupang probe from Seoul-Washington trade issues
Published: 24 Jan. 2026, 15:37
![United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer meets with Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo in 2025 [MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/01/24/1a45494f-f990-402a-88c4-ba8c8068fd94.jpg)
United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer meets with Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo in 2025 [MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES]
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said Saturday he has stressed to U.S. trade officials that Seoul's investigation into e-commerce giant Coupang over a major data breach should be treated separately from broader trade issues between the two countries.
Yeo made the remarks regarding Coupang to reporters at Incheon International Airport after returning to Korea following his participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Coupang, a U.S.-listed company founded by Korean American entrepreneur Bom Kim, generates about 90 percent of its revenue in Korea.
The minister met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the Davos forum and exchanged views on pending bilateral trade issues.
Yeo said he conveyed to Greer Seoul's position that the investigation does not constitute discriminatory treatment against a U.S. company and should not be elevated into a trade dispute.
"I explained that it is not because Coupang is a U.S. company," Yeo said, adding that authorities would have conducted the same nondiscriminatory and transparent investigation if a Korean firm had experienced a similar data breach.
Yeo also met with Greer and key lawmakers from both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives during a separate visit to Washington last week to explain Seoul's stance on the Coupang probe and address concerns over Korea's digital regulatory environment.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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