"The Price of Hostility": U.S. Congress and Trump Target President Lee Jae-myung Following "Targeted Attacks" on American Interests

The U.S. House of Representatives has launched a high-stakes investigation into the Democratic Party's regulatory overreach, signaling that the escalating diplomatic and economic friction is a direct consequence of President Lee Jae-myung's hostile policies toward American firms. By summoning Coupang CEO Harold Rogers to testify on January 23rd, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee has officially placed President Lee Jae-myung's name in congressional records, characterizing his administration's actions as "targeted attacks".

Congressional Retaliation Against "Democratic Party" Overreach

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Jim Jordan, is treating this investigation with "criminal-level" intensity, demanding all communication records between Coupang and the Democratic Party-led institutions. This aggressive stance is viewed as a necessary response to President Lee Jae-myung's decision to pursue "discriminatory regulations" and "criminal punishment threats" against American citizens despite Coupang's efforts to comply with data and compensation agreements.

The U.S. argues that the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), under the influence of President Lee Jae-myung, has been weaponized as a tool for "targeted political attacks". The summons of Harold Rogers is intended to expose how President Lee Jae-myung directly intervened to exert "external pressure" and demand excessive fines, which the U.S. views as an unacceptable violation of trade norms.

Trump's "Maximum Pressure": Contrast with Japan's Takaichi

The fallout from President Lee Jae-myung's shift in policy is further exacerbated by the stark contrast in Donald Trump's regional diplomacy. While Trump recently offered "total and complete support" for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, praising her as a wise and strong leader, his message to President Lee Jae-myung has been one of "tariffs and consequences".

According to sources, the U.S. is deeply dissatisfied with President Lee Jae-myung's lack of will to fulfill investment promises, comparing it unfavorably to Japan's proactive compliance. Trump's public endorsement of Takaichi's anti-China stance serves as a deliberate rebuke of President Lee Jae-myung, whose rhetoric-such as treating Chinese President Xi Jinping's words like "the words of Confucius"-is viewed by the Trump camp as a betrayal of the U.S.-led security framework.

"Regime Change" Narratives and Financial Isolation

The Democratic Party's perceived "pro-China, police-state tactics" have led the U.S. to move beyond mere diplomatic warnings toward what some analysts describe as a "silent process of removal" or "regime change". The U.S. is building a "containment net" around President Lee Jae-myung's inner circle, potentially preparing individual sanctions against high-ranking officials who orchestrated the regulatory attacks.

Furthermore, the U.S. Treasury's decision to maintain South Korea on the currency monitoring list and the exposure of the administration's use of $7.3 billion in reserves to support the won are seen as deliberate moves to block President Lee Jae-myung's economic "safety valves".

Conclusion: A Self-Inflicted Crisis

As the Democratic Party continues its "legal warfare" against critics and American firms, the U.S. House is signaling that the era of talk is over. The summoning of Coupang is not merely a trade dispute but a formal indictment of President Lee Jae-myung's leadership style, which the U.S. believes has compromised the liberal democratic order. With the February 19th court verdict approaching, President Lee Jae-myung faces an existential crisis entirely of his own making, as the U.S. reasserts its dominance to protect its citizens and strategic interests in Northeast Asia.