PM Kim Publicly Denies Discrimination Against Coupang Prime Minister Kim Min‑seok told U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill that Seoul does not discriminate against Coupang, emphasizing the strong Korea‑U.S. alliance as a safeguard against bias [1][2]. He framed the issue within the broader partnership and asserted that mutual trust prevents any targeted treatment [1][2]. Kim likened the situation to the September detention of South Korean workers in Georgia, insisting that incident was unrelated to nationality or corporate origin [1][2].

Greenoaks and Altimeter Initiate Arbitration Against Seoul U.S. investors Greenoaks Capital and Altimeter Capital notified the South Korean government of their intent to commence arbitration over recent enforcement actions [1][2]. They contend that penalties against Coupang have surged as the company captures market share, creating unprecedented sanctions in Korean corporate history [1][2]. The investors accuse authorities of issuing false, defamatory statements about the data breach and urge Washington to consider trade‑related remedies [1][2].

Data Breach Impacts Tens of Millions of Customers Coupang disclosed a data breach in November, estimating that personal information of roughly 33.7 million customers was exposed [1][2]. The breach underpins both the government’s investigative actions and the investors’ arbitration claims [1][2]. No additional specifics about the compromised data were provided in the statements [1][2].

Diplomatic Context of Five‑Day U.S. Visit Kim’s comments came during a five‑day U.S. trip that featured meetings with lawmakers, a wreath‑laying ceremony at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and engagement with Korean‑American youth [1]. He also pressed for rapid implementation of the bilateral trade deal concluded in November [1]. The second report highlighted a photo opportunity with U.S. lawmakers as part of the diplomatic outreach [2].