US suspends all security and economic high-level talks with Korea until the legal immunity to Coupang CEO is secured

It has been reported that the United States conveyed to the South Korean government that high-level bilateral consultations on diplomatic and security issues would be difficult to proceed unless the legal safety of Coupang Chairman Kim Beom-seok is guaranteed. This effectively brings a private corporate issue into the realm of foreign and security policy, a request that the South Korean government has essentially declined.

Reporter Kang Min-woo reports:

According to an SBS investigation, the U.S. side has, since last month, asked the South Korean government to ensure that no measures such as a travel ban, arrest, or detention are taken against Kim Beom-seok, Chairman of Coupang Inc.’s board. The U.S. reportedly indicated that without such assurances, it would not move forward with high-level bilateral consultations on diplomatic and security matters.

In other words, if Kim Beom-seok visits South Korea, the Korean government would need to guarantee that he faces no legal risks for discussions on key issues—such as nuclear-powered submarines—to continue.

Police, who are investigating allegations including a personal data breach at Coupang, have already applied to the Ministry of Justice for a “notification upon entry” measure regarding Kim, meaning authorities would be alerted if he enters the country.

In response to the U.S. request, the South Korean government reportedly told the U.S. Embassy in Seoul that “the related investigation is being conducted lawfully,” and that “diplomatic authorities cannot guarantee the personal safety of any specific individual.”

It is also reported that the U.S. raised the Coupang issue during Prime Minister Kim Min-seok’s visit to Washington last month as a form of pressure.

Some analysts suggest that the lack of clear progress in follow-up negotiations—such as those concerning South Korea’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines or expanded rights for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, which were agreed upon by the two countries last year—may be partly due to this situation.