[ad_1]
Flags raised forward of Coupang’s IPO in entrance of the New York Inventory Alternate constructing on Mar. 11, 2021. Yonhap
SEATTLE — The Trump administration’s choice to lift tariffs on South Korean items is being forged by senior Republicans as a retaliatory response to Seoul’s dealing with of Coupang, underscoring how regulatory disputes involving U.S. corporations are more and more spilling into commerce coverage.
The remark got here from the official X account of Home Judiciary Republicans, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan, which stated Tuesday that “that is what occurs if you unfairly goal American corporations like Coupang,” following the tariff announcement. The put up got here a day after Donald Trump stated tariffs on cars, prescription drugs and different items would rise from 15 p.c to 25 p.c.
The most recent put up adopted weeks of escalating criticism from Republicans over South Korean regulatory actions towards Coupang. Earlier this month, Jordan reposted an announcement by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald condemning what he described as a “politically motivated witch hunt” towards American executives of Coupang, calling the actions “unacceptable” and vowing that the USA “will all the time defend our companies and staff.”
Trump stated the tariff improve was prompted by delays in implementing components of a bilateral commerce settlement, reversing earlier tariff reductions granted underneath the deal. The White Home has not explicitly linked the transfer to Coupang or to South Korea’s regulatory actions. Nevertheless, the Home Judiciary Committee’s remarks, coupled with earlier posts from Republicans, counsel that influential Republicans view the tariff hike as leverage towards what they see as discriminatory remedy of a U.S. firm.
Coupang is integrated in Delaware and headquartered in Seattle, and is listed on the New York Inventory Alternate, although most of its operations are in South Korea. The corporate has confronted intensified scrutiny from South Korean authorities since a significant knowledge breach occurred in November 2025.
South Korean officers say they’re looking for clarification from Washington on the rationale behind the tariff hike, as senior commerce officers put together to go to the USA to evaluate whether or not the transfer displays commerce enforcement or a broader political sign.
[ad_2]
