A US administration official stated on Thursday that the e-commerce giant Coupang is facing "targeted suppression" from the government of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, expressing concern over what Washington describes as "discriminatory" pressure against this US-listed company.

The official made these remarks in response to a request for comment from Yonhap News Agency regarding an interim staff report released this week by the US House Judiciary Committee. The report accuses South Korea of carrying out "discriminatory strikes" against Coupang and other American businesses.

This 35-page committee report was issued following an investigation by South Korean authorities into a massive personal data breach at Coupang. The incident is believed to have affected over 33 million users, representing approximately 68% of South Korea's total population.

"This administration is deeply concerned about the South Korean government's discriminatory targeting of US tech companies," the administration official said. "By any measure, Coupang is facing targeted suppression from the Lee Jae-myung government. The previous administration would not tolerate unfair trade practices, including actions restricting access to the US digital services market."

Coupang's operations in South Korea contribute over 90% of the company's total revenue. Since the customer data leak was revealed last November, the company has faced intense public criticism and scrutiny within South Korea.

The release of the US House Judiciary Committee report comes amid ongoing concerns that Coupang's extensive lobbying campaign in the US capital could further inflame diplomatic tensions stemming from the legal proceedings in South Korea related to the data breach.

Reports filed under the Lobbying Disclosure Act on the US Senate website show that Coupang has spent over $1 million on lobbying activities in the United States since the data leak scandal erupted last November, including efforts directed at the administration and Congress.