HANOI, Vietnam — South Korea maintains that it is undesirable to link a Korean investigation into e-commerce giant Coupang with broader alliance talks as it seeks to revive stalled security negotiations with the United States, according to Cheong Wa Dae.
National security adviser Wi Sung-lac stressed that the security negotiations constitute a complete package built on reciprocal steps taken by both sides. He further explained that the talks should therefore proceed separately from South Korea’s probe into a massive data breach at US-listed e-commerce company Coupang.
“We are having extensive discussions with the United States on the position that the Coupang issue should proceed according to legal procedures, while security negotiations should advance on their own track,” Wi said Thursday during a press briefing in Hanoi, Vietnam.
“Coupang is a corporate matter. In many respects, it is an issue between companies — a business matter at its core — rather than something that should be turned into an issue between the two governments.”
Wi’s remarks came after local media reports that US officials and lawmakers recently conveyed to the Lee Jae Myung administration that progress in high-level security consultations would be difficult unless concerns involving Coupang founder and Chair Kim Bom-suk, including his personal legal safety, were resolved.
Wi acknowledged that South Korea’s investigation authorities’ probe into Coupang’s alleged massive personal data leak had affected security negotiations between the allies.
“So it is also true that our security consultations have been delayed,” Wi told reporters. “And because we do not believe that serves the alliance relationship as a whole, our position is that they should not be held up and should resume as soon as possible.”
Those consultations involve follow-up discussions stemming from the bilateral Joint Fact Sheet agreed to in November 2025, including South Korea’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines and the expansion of rights to uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing for peaceful purposes.
Seoul has established task forces led by the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry and industry officials to carry forward those commitments, but negotiations with Washington have remained stuck for months, with no US delegation visit taking place.
Wi underlined that the security talks possess their own internal logic and should proceed independently.
“Security negotiations have their own completeness. There were steps we took first, and there were corresponding steps we received in return. Those have created a certain balance,” Wi said.
“For that reason, those talks should proceed on their own track, and we have had extensive consultations with the United States over the past several months based on that position,” he added.
Regarding a letter sent by US lawmakers, Wi explained that Seoul had taken note and was engaging with members of the US Congress to explain its position and provide greater understanding. Wi said the government had made similar efforts in the past when lawmakers sent previous letters and would continue to do so.
The remarks came after Michael Baumgartner, a member of the Republican Study Committee, led 54 lawmakers in sending a letter on Monday to South Korean Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha. The joint letter called on the South Korean government to immediately end what the lawmakers described as “targeted and discriminatory actions” against American businesses operating in South Korea, including Coupang.
Wi said South Korea is now focused on restarting the talks as soon as possible.
“We are making every effort to ensure that security negations resume,” he said. “We intend to redouble those efforts.”
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
