Kim Jeong-gwan: 'Korea-US Alliance Will Not Be Shaken by Coupang Issue... Misunderstandings Will Be Resolved'

As the "Coupang incident" is cited as a potential factor of friction in South Korea-US relations, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-gwan said today (the 22nd) that he "does not think the South Korea-US alliance will be shaken by such an issue."

Minister Kim departed for the United States today to discuss investment in the US and trade pending issues.

He will visit Washington, D.C., until the 25th to meet with key figures from the US administration and Congress, and attend the opening ceremony of the Korea-US Shipbuilding Cooperation Center.

This is Minister Kim's first visit to the United States in two months since last May.

Meeting with reporters at Incheon International Airport before departure, Minister Kim said, "We expect (Coupang-related agenda items) to naturally come up on the discussion table," adding, "There is talk that South Korean and US companies are being discriminated against, but if we sufficiently explain our government's position, I think the US misunderstandings will be resolved."

He explained, "We have consistently explained aspects that the US side has some misunderstandings about, and I believe there is a certain level of mutual understanding with our counterpart."

He went on to emphasize that "misunderstandings are to be cleared up and gaps are to be narrowed," stressing that the Coupang issue will not become a major stumbling block.

Amid claims raised by the US side that South Korea's investigation and response to Coupang's customer data leakage constitute discriminatory measures, the South Korean government has maintained its position that the actions were taken in accordance with laws and principles.

Regarding the "Section 301 tariffs" pursued by the US, Minister Kim said, "The US Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) have previously expressed their stance not to stray beyond a level that balances the interests of both South Korea and the US," adding, "We will thoroughly discuss these issues as well."

Through this visit to the US, Minister Kim plans to advance discussions on US investment projects and add momentum to MASGA, a South Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation project.

Minister Kim said, "Regarding investment projects with the US, we plan to further materialize the details and agree on schedules."

Regarding the opening ceremony of the Shipbuilding Cooperation Center, he explained, "It is a highly significant event in terms of acquiring a platform to officially carry out the MASGA project."

Meanwhile, Minister Kim stated that discussions regarding semiconductor investment have not been carried out in detail.

Previously, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that he wants to "bring Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to the US to build production facilities."

Minister Kim said, "Such matters will require judgment based on the strategic investment decisions of the companies."

He added, "Regarding semiconductors, the level of ensuring we are not treated less favorably than competitor nations is what appeared in the previous joint fact sheet."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.