The head of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee leveled a strong public criticism at the Korean government, citing discriminatory treatment of U.S. corporations such as Coupang and failure to honor investment pledges in the semiconductor and shipbuilding sectors. He also argued that the recent decision to scale back U.S.-Korea joint drills stemmed from Korea's contradictory stance of shifting security expense onto the United States while seeking to improve ties with North Korea, moving to apply pressure on all fronts.
Fox News reported on the 24th (local time) that Brian Mast, chairperson of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, appeared in an interview the previous day and delivered blunt criticism of Korea's economy and foreign policy. Mast, a key Republican figure considered one of President Trump's closest aides, oversees foreign policy in the U.S. House.
Chairperson Mast expressed displeasure, saying, "Korea is harming U.S. corporations like Coupang." Coupang mainly does business in Korea but is a U.S. corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He went on, "Korea is also not fulfilling its promises to provide more semiconductors and ships to the United States and to support the United States." The remarks are read as complaints that Korean government regulations are infringing on the profits of U.S. corporations and that even the promised direct investment in the United States is faltering.
The sharp comments that began in the economic realm moved on to the U.S.-Korea security alliance. In the same interview, Chairperson Mast explained the background to President Trump's recent order to drastically scale down the U.S.-Korea joint drills and took issue with the Korean government's conciliatory policy toward North Korea. He asked, "If Korea and North Korea are trying to improve relations, and if we do not want an enemy heading toward war, what benefit is there in conducting such drills?" The argument is that, as Korea pursues dialogue with North Korea, there is no reason for the United States to continue U.S.-led military exercises that provoke the North at great expense.
Earlier, on the 16th, President Trump ordered former Minister of War Pete Hegseth to scale back the U.S.-Korea joint drills, saying they send a hostile signal to North Korea. At the time, President Trump, noting that Korea had rejected the U.S. request to join denuclearization efforts on Iran, expressed displeasure that "the United States is bearing tremendous expense to defend Korea." Chairperson Mast's remarks are seen as interpreting the president's decision not merely as an attempt to mollify North Korea, but as an extension of a strong demand for allied responsibility and cost sharing.
Some in U.S. political circles are even putting on the table the issue of treatment of Americans in Korea. Chairperson Mast also signed a letter urging the lifting of the travel ban on Moss Tan, a Korean American and former Liberty University professor in the United States, who was indicted in Korea on charges of spreading false information related to President Lee Jae-myung and had his departure blocked. The U.S. Congress is raising diplomatic pressure by mentioning Korea's judicial process and freedom of expression.
The Fox News anchor who conducted the interview that day also backed Chairperson Mast's claims, saying, "Korea should treat U.S. corporations better and align a bit more with U.S. foreign policy."