“Korea is pro-China leftist and discriminates against Coupang “: What Rubio’s claim revealed about the US opinion on Korea

Claims by some in the U.S. Congress that “the South Korean government discriminates against American companies such as Coupang” have now been publicly echoed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He also responded as if agreeing with claims that South Korea has become “pro-China” and “left-leaning,” revealing publicly for the first time what had previously only been suspected about the Trump administration’s thinking.

This report comes from Washington correspondent Heo Yu-shin.

Secretary of State Rubio appeared before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

When a lawmaker argued that a “left-leaning, pro-China South Korean government is suppressing American companies such as Coupang,” Rubio agreed, saying, “That’s democracy,” and added that democracies sometimes elect leaders with views different from those of the United States.

Marco Rubio / U.S. Secretary of State
“Democratic countries sometimes elect leaders who are more favorable to U.S. interests, as Japan has done, but sometimes they elect leaders with different perspectives.”

He said that when U.S. interests are affected, Washington must become involved, and that “the same applies to South Korea,” making remarks that suggested Coupang is being treated unfairly in South Korea.

The implication was that South Korea is affecting U.S. interests.

He also said that this issue influenced last year’s U.S.–South Korea trade negotiations.

Marco Rubio / U.S. Secretary of State
“Frankly, I think some of South Korea’s treatment of American companies affected the United States’ ability to conclude a trade agreement last year.”

Representative Darrell Issa, who repeatedly directed such questions toward South Korea, was also a leading figure behind a letter sent by Republican lawmakers to the South Korean government in April demanding an end to what they described as discrimination against Coupang.

Although Rubio is known to have exchanged views regarding Coupang with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during the minister’s visit to the United States in February, this is the first time he has publicly agreed with claims that South Korea discriminates against American companies.

In particular, attention is focusing on why these remarks were made at a time when the U.S. government is pursuing a new global tariff strategy after President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs were blocked by the courts.

From Washington, this is MBC News correspondent Heo Yu-shin.