Minister Rubio answering [Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 3rd (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to a congressman's assertion that "the South Korean regime has become pro-China and left-leaning" by saying it is a characteristic of democracy where regimes are created through elections.

Appearing at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing that day, Secretary Rubio answered Congressman Darrell Issa's (Republican, California) question, stating, "In democratic countries, sometimes leaders who are more favorable to U.S. national interests are elected, as in the case of Japan, and sometimes leaders with different perspectives are elected."

He added, "This is a unique aspect of dealing with democratic countries," and said, "We often witness this in our own hemisphere as well." This is interpreted to mean that left-leaning, anti-American regimes have frequently emerged in South America.

Secretary Rubio stated, "If it is a legitimate election and the people they choose (as leaders) are the ones they have chosen, then we respect the sovereign choice of the people (of that country)."

He emphasized, "Even if democratically elected leaders take positions contrary to U.S. interests, it does not mean we want to overthrow or remove that government, because it is a democratic government."

He added, "It simply means that we need to engage with them regarding the actions they are taking that provoke our national interests."

Regarding Congressman Issa's point that American companies like Coupang and Meta are being discriminated against in South Korea, Secretary Rubio said, "Our companies do not face difficulties and targeting only in South Korea. The European Union (EU) targets our tech companies and takes unfair actions."

Secretary Rubio continued, "I believe this (the situation of American companies in South Korea) becomes one element of our engagement with South Korea, despite our strategic alignment on certain matters."

He then stated, "Frankly, I think this has affected our ability to finalize a trade agreement with South Korea, because of their attitudes towards American companies."

It is known that Secretary Rubio discussed the Coupang issue with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during his visit to the U.S. in February, but this is the first time he has publicly mentioned it in such a setting.

Following two summit meetings between President Lee Jae-myung and President Donald Trump last year, South Korea and the U.S. reached a trade agreement that included reducing mutual tariffs (country-specific tariffs) and automotive tariffs from 25% to 15%, and South Korea investing $350 billion in the U.S. The agreement is now in its implementation phase.

However, following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling invalidating the mutual tariffs in February, the Trump administration began to raise issues such as the import of products manufactured by forced labor and overproduction, and attempted to impose "alternative tariffs" on major trading partners including South Korea, creating the possibility of changes to the South Korea-U.S. trade agreement due to U.S. circumstances.

Therefore, with attention focused on whether the U.S. will apply new tariff rates to South Korea that exceed the existing mutual tariff rate (15%), Secretary Rubio's mention in Congress about the treatment some U.S. companies are receiving in South Korea is a noteworthy point from South Korea's perspective.

Prior to Secretary Rubio's response, Congressman Issa asserted, "South Korea's democracy has strongly tilted to the left, and it is opening more doors towards China. In fact, it is beginning to suppress many of our companies, including Meta and Coupang."

Congressman Issa has shown strong opposition to South Korea's regulatory moves on online platforms and is known to have actively participated in a letter sent by Republican lawmakers to the South Korean government urging them to "stop discriminatory regulations against Coupang." He also met with Jang Dong-hyuk, a representative of the People Power Party, who visited the U.S. in April.

That day, he also requested that a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) op-ed, which contained the claims of some conservative U.S. figures that the South Korean government has recently been leaning left, be included in the meeting records.

Furthermore, when asked by Congresswoman Ami Bera (Democrat, California), who visited South Korea in late March and met with President Lee Jae-myung and others, about any changes in the U.S. provision of nuclear deterrence against North Korea, Secretary Rubio replied, "Our posture there remains the same."

He stated, "We are not there to trigger a crisis, enter into war, or cause any problems. On a working level, we maintain a very strong relationship with South Korea."

Regarding Congresswoman Young Kim's (Republican, California) inquiry about the White House's "Ocean Action Plan" announced in February to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry, Secretary Rubio stated that in addition to building ships within the U.S., a few ships would be built in South Korea, adding, "It will be beneficial to us."

The U.S. Ocean Action Plan includes a "Bridge Strategy" where foreign shipbuilders, through acquiring U.S. shipyards or partnering with them, invest capital in U.S. shipyards and are allowed to build an initial portion of contracted orders in their home countries until U.S. production ultimately becomes possible.

However, building entire U.S. ships in South Korea would require a U.S. presidential action to temporarily defer the application of regulations related to the construction of U.S. ships outside the U.S.