U.S. Investment Giants Take Legal Action Against South Korea for Targeting American Company Coupang

Three leading U.S. investment firms are taking legal action against the Government of the Republic of Korea, accusing Seoul of launching what they describe as an unprecedented, discriminatory campaign to cripple an American-founded company and punish U.S. investors.

In a major escalation, investment giants Greenoaks, Altimeter, and Foxhaven have served formal notice of intent to file arbitration claims under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) and have also petitioned the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to investigate Korea under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 — a mechanism often associated with aggressive U.S. trade enforcement and retaliatory remedies.

The investment firms argue that Korea’s actions are not routine regulation, but a sustained political assault aimed at targeting Coupang — a U.S.-founded and