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South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha, who temporarily returned to South Korea under the instructions of Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, enters the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District on the 15th for a meeting with Minister Cho. / Yonhap

Ambassador Kang says Coupang issue "lasting longer than expected" upon temporary return

South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha, who temporarily returned to South Korea to coordinate pending alliance issues, stated that the Coupang issue is "lasting much longer than anticipated." As U.S. pressure expands across trade, industry, and security, analysts suggest the necessity for an all-of-government response is growing ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November.

Speaking to reporters at the Government Complex Seoul on the 15th, Kang said, "I returned because the Foreign Minister requested consultations to review pending issues." She will remain in South Korea until the 19th to meet with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, officials from the Blue House National Security Office, and representatives from relevant ministries to share perspectives from the U.S. and discuss future response strategies.

The most direct issue is the Coupang dispute. The U.S. House of Representatives recently released a report suggesting that the South Korean government is discriminating against Coupang, and the White House has reportedly raised concerns over South Korea's regulatory policies. For the South Korean government, which faces additional concerns over the implementation of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, preparing for the possibility of individual corporate issues escalating into trade conflicts is critical.

"We are continuing consultations at various levels on multiple issues to make progress on the various agreements reached by the two leaders in the Joint Fact Sheet," Kang said.

U.S. investments are also a key agenda item. The United States has demanded the swift implementation of investment pledges worth 350 billion dollars. As Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have announced semiconductor investments totaling 800 trillion won in the Honam region, the government must find a balance between U.S. demands and expanding the domestic industrial base.

President Lee Jae-myung also emphasized the U.S.-ROK Strategic Investment Corporation on the same day, stating, "As this is an issue involving long-term public interest, we must proceed with caution to protect our national interests."

                                                                                                         Park Young-hoon