South Korea says US alliance not in crisis despite Coupang-linked friction

South Korea's national security adviser said on Thursday the U.S. alliance was not in crisis despite recent friction, though he acknowledged that current strains with Washington required careful management, according to media reports.



Wi Sung-lac said security consultations with the U.S. were being affected by a dispute related to U.S.-listed e-commerce firm Coupang Inc, but called for alliance issues to be handled independently from legal matters.



Seoul has called for talks with the U.S. over a security agreement to proceed separately from issues related to a probe into a Coupang data leak, after a media report said Washington had threatened to halt talks without legal guarantees for Coupang's Chairman Kim Bom.



"It is true that it is affecting South Korea-U.S. security consultations," Wi told reporters in Hanoi, according to the Yonhap News Agency, adding that Seoul's position was for the matter to go through legal procedures while security talks should move forward separately.



Wi said security consultations had been delayed, but was cited by Yonhap as saying Seoul's position was that talks should resume as soon as possible.