Foreign Ministry: "Security Talks with U.S. Separate from Coupang Issue... Continued Consultations Underway"

"Coupang Investigation Will Proceed According to Domestic Legal Procedures"

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified its position regarding reports that the U.S. side had requested the South Korean government to guarantee the personal safety of Bom Suk Kim, Chairman of Coupang Inc., stating, "During our communications with the U.S. side, we made it clear that security discussions should proceed separately from the Coupang case."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On April 22, the Ministry added, "The government will continue to consult with the U.S. to ensure that the current issue related to Coupang does not negatively impact security discussions between South Korea and the United States." This statement is interpreted as not denying that the U.S. had requested a safety guarantee for Chairman Kim.

Additionally, the Ministry stated, "The ongoing investigation into Coupang will be handled in accordance with our domestic laws and due legal procedures."

The Ministry also noted, "Both South Korea and the United States are communicating closely through various channels to implement the security provisions of the Joint Fact Sheet (JFS) agreement."

Previously, there were reports that the U.S. had requested the South Korean government to ensure that Chairman Kim would not be subjected to travel bans, arrest, or detention. According to SBS, the U.S. side conveyed that it would not proceed with high-level diplomatic and security consultations between the two countries if the issue was not resolved.

Currently, the police have requested the Ministry of Justice to notify them if Chairman Kim enters the country, citing allegations such as personal information leaks.

Meanwhile, the Fair Trade Commission is reportedly expected to reach a conclusion by next month on whether to designate Bom Suk Kim as the "same person" (controlling shareholder) of Coupang. Chairman Kim has previously been excluded from this designation due to his foreign nationality.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.