The chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is calling for increased scrutiny of South Korea's growing ties with China, citing concerns over US security interests.
What happened
Representative John Moolenaar sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing concerns over South Korea's engagement with China, including semiconductor investments and the treatment of US companies. Moolenaar also raised concerns about Seoul's position on a potential conflict over Taiwan and the sharing of intelligence between the two countries.
Moolenaar pointed to recent high-level meetings between South Korean and Chinese leaders, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea in November 2025 and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to China in January. During these visits, the two countries signed several agreements, including 14 memoranda of understanding.
Moolenaar also highlighted the presence of South Korean semiconductor companies, such as Samsung and SK Hynix, in China, which he believes could pose a risk to US-controlled global supply chains. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security removed these companies from its Validated End-User program, effective December 31, 2025.
Additionally, Moolenaar alleged that South Korean authorities have enforced laws more aggressively against US companies than against Chinese competitors, citing the example of the e-commerce platform Coupang. He also expressed concerns about Seoul's handling of China-linked platforms, such as AliExpress and Temu, which he believes capture Korean consumer data and market share while benefiting from China's unfair trade and forced-labor practices.
