96 South Korean members of parliament, belonging to different political parties, wrote a joint letter condemning what they called US attempts to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs and “infringe on its judicial sovereignty.”
The US has reportedly been increasing pressure on the country to drop an ongoing investigation against Coupang, a US-based company which dominates the South Korean e-commerce market, over the leak of sensitive personal data of over 33 million Koreans.
The lawmakers announced, in a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Tuesday, April 28, that the letter would be submitted to the US embassy in the city on the same day, The Korean Times reported.
The Korean lawmakers have claimed that the US is wrongfully trying to disrupt a domestic corporate investigation by using diplomatic tools, which amounts to “undermining the rule of law” in South Korea and is not acceptable.
The South Korean parliamentarians also underlined that if this American attempt is allowed to prevail without contest it will set a dangerous precedent for all multinational corporations to use diplomatic channels to influence legal processes.
The signatories of the letter include members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DP), Rebuilding Korea Party, Jinbo Party, and Social Democratic Party.
The speaker of the National Assembly, Woo Won-shik also expressed his country’s disapproval of the American move, calling it “a clear stance of interference in domestic policy.”
A response to the letter from US house republicans
As per reports, the sensitive personal information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, and order histories of nearly two thirds of Korea’s total population were leaked from Coupang’s database last year.
After the news of the data leak became public in early December 2025, the South Korean government faced demands for strong action against the firm.
South Korean law enforcement is currently investigating the data breach, which may lead to a substantial fine or other legal action against the management.
Founded in 2010, Coupang has also been accused of very serious labor rights violations and union-busting measures for several years.
Recently, 54 House Republicans had written a joint letter accusing the Lee Jae Myung-led DP government in South Korea and the country’s law enforcement agencies of being biased and deliberately targeting US-based companies.
Lee Jae Myung, of the DP, was elected president in 2025 after his predecessor Yoon Suk-Yeol of the Peoples Power Party was impeached and removed from power for attempting a coup in December 2024.
Since his election, the Lee government has toned down his predecessor’s aggressive stance towards North Korea and tried to balance its relations with China, aggravating the Donald Trump administration in the US.
The House Republicans letter accused the DP government of being “left wing” and “pro-China”, claiming attacks against US companies have caused billions of dollars in losses for the US economy.
The signatories of the letter have claimed that they will make sure that the South Korean government “ceases its persecution of Coupang and other American companies.”
Affecting larger bilateral relations
Media reports have claimed that the US had formally asked the South Korean government to provide legal protection to Coupang founder Kim Bom Suk and protect him against any possible arrest in the country, threatening to suspend security arrangements with Seoul otherwise.
Wi Sung Lac, South Korea’s national security advisor, acknowledged earlier this month that the issue of Coupang is now affecting the country’s “security cooperation” with the US.
The US practically controls the defenses of the country, with thousands of its soldiers based in South Korea since the end of the Korean War.
Reports also indicate that the US has threatened to suspend a planned assistance to South Korea to build nuclear powered submarines and halt the implementation of an agreement signed last year according to which it was to authorize nuclear enrichment in the country.
South Korea has not responded to reports of American threats. However, it has asserted that the investigations in the data breach would continue.
The post South Korean lawmakers condemn US attempts to undermine judicial sovereignty appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.
From Peoples Dispatch via This RSS Feed.