U.S.-South Korea relations are strained when it comes to investment and security; mistrust is growing due to problems with major mail order companies

[Seoul Jiji] Disputes are growing in U.S.-South Korea relations, from investment to security. It is said that the impression of the Lee Jae-myung administration has worsened among U.S. President Donald Trump's rock-solid support group, MAGA, due to issues surrounding Coupang, a U.S.-listed internet mail order giant that caused a large-scale customer information leak in South Korea, and it is unlikely that relations will be repaired easily.

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On the 12th, South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha said at a national policy audit held in the South Korean National Assembly in Washington, ``There is a problem with intelligence cooperation (with the United States).'' "There are limits to communication with the White House," he said. It is unusual for a high-ranking diplomatic official who places top priority on the U.S.-South Korea alliance to frankly acknowledge the deterioration of relations in public.

The problem in information cooperation is said to be due to Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's announcement in the National Assembly in March that North Korea's uranium enrichment facility is located in Kiseong, in the northwest. There was a widespread view that the US side, which had provided information behind the scenes, had objected.

However, a South Korean source points out, ``The root cause was the wrong button on the agreement signed in November last year following the US-South Korea summit.'' The plan included a $350 billion (approximately 55 trillion yen) investment by South Korea, but compared to Japan, which rushed to realize investment in the United States, it took longer to materialize, causing dissatisfaction with the U.S. administration. Meanwhile, in January of this year, Li made a state visit to China and set out to mend relations, judging that the negotiations had come to an end.

The Coupang problem added to this. It was reported that U.S. Vice President Vance had called for a cautious response to South Korea's harsh stance, including the summoning of a Coupang executive to the National Assembly in December last year, leading to growing distrust in the U.S., with people saying that South Korea is "discriminating against American companies compared to Chinese companies." It is said that the image that ``the Lee administration is pro-China'' has permeated, especially among MAGA groups.

The investment deal was finally announced at the end of September this year, but differences in opinion were exposed regarding the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska, where the profitability is questionable. A source said, ``South Korea used to hide behind Japan and evade pressure from the United States, but as South Korea's economic power in areas such as semiconductors and shipbuilding has increased, it has become targeted.''

On the 13th, Mr. Lee expressed his bullish stance, saying, ``The most important thing is South Korea's national interests. We should refrain from taking a submissive or serious attitude.'' Meanwhile, Mr. Lee has been practicing recently with an eye on playing golf with Mr. Trump during the G20 summit to be held in Miami, Florida, in December.