Trump Held Coupang Shares Even While Claiming "Discrimination Against Korea"

[Anchor]

It has been revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump has been holding shares in Coupang. He bought and sold Coupang stock 18 times during his term. While Trump claims that "investment decisions are made by asset managers," the transactions occurred even when the U.S. government issued messages favorable to Coupang.

Reporter Kim Minpyo has the story.

[Reporter]

This is President Trump's financial disclosure report.

He began buying and selling Coupang shares in October of last year, nearly nine months into his second term.

U.S. high-ranking officials report their assets in ranges rather than exact amounts. On October 9, he purchased Coupang stock once in the range of "1,001 to 15,000 dollars" and again in the range of "50,000 to 100,000 dollars," followed by a partial sale on October 16 in the range of "15,001 to 50,000 dollars."

Through such repeated partial buying and selling, he traded Coupang shares 18 times up until the reporting period in May of this year.

Transactions took place even when South Korea's parliamentary hearing on Coupang was drawing attention in the U.S. last December, and when claims were made in the U.S. this February that the South Korean government was treating Coupang with discrimination.

The remaining Coupang shares are worth up to approximately 200 million won.

However, looking at the stock price trend, it is estimated that he did not make a significant profit.

The financial disclosure also states that income from the Coupang stock investment was "none or less than 201 dollars" for each transaction.

President Trump has drawn a line regarding conflicts of interest, stating that stock trading during his term is handled by asset managers and that he is not involved in investment decisions.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President (July 1): I intentionally never talk to the people who manage my money. They belong to large institutions, and they invest on their own. I know nothing about it.]

However, critics point out that the mere fact of holding shares in a company that has become a major issue in U.S.-Korea trade relations can be seen as a conflict of interest.

There is also ongoing criticism regarding his failure to dispose of or place assets with potential conflicts of interest into a blind trust.

Furthermore, it has been confirmed once again that there is extensive contact between key U.S. government officials and Coupang, as U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer reported receiving 10,000 dollars in speaking and consulting fees from Coupang before taking office.

Reported by Kim Minpyo | Video by Kim Jong-mi

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