The Office of the Prime Minister said on Feb. 4 that it was "not true" regarding People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok's remark in his National Assembly negotiation group leader's address that "U.S. Vice President JD Vance first pressed Prime Minister Kim Min-seok about the Coupang situation."

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok meets Vice President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, DC, United States, on the 23rd last month (local time), exchanges views on ways to advance South Korea–U.S. relations, and poses for a commemorative photo. /Courtesy of the Prime Minister's Office

Immediately after Jang's address, the prime minister's office said in a press reference that "as we have explained, Vice President Vance, at his Jan. 23 meeting with Prime Minister Kim, inquired about the Coupang issue in a polite tone on the premise of respecting Korea's legal system, and, after hearing Prime Minister Kim's explanation, expressed understanding of the situation."

It added, "Characterizing the Coupang issue as a detonator in Korea-U.S. trade negotiations also carries a high risk of misleading that is not consistent with the facts," and said, "The remark does not accord with the facts and is an inappropriate expression that does not help bilateral relations diplomatically."

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