Coupang’s interim CEO Harold Rogers has claimed that the company contacted a suspect in a major data leak case in China at the direction of the National Intelligence Service(NIS), a claim the spy agency strongly denied.

Rogers made the remarks on Tuesday during a joint parliamentary hearing led by the Democratic Party, responding to questions from Rep. Hwang Jung‑ah.

He said Coupang had been reluctant to reach out to the suspect but did so after repeated requests from the NIS, adding that he could disclose the name of the official involved if necessary.

The spy agency denied issuing any such instructions, saying it had only asked Coupang to provide materials related to the case and had never ordered or approved any contact with the suspect.

The agency also rejected Coupang’s claim that it had authorized the copying of the suspect’s devices.

Calling Rogers’ comments false statements that undermine the credibility of a state institution, the NIS said the matter was serious and formally asked the National Assembly to file perjury charges against the Coupang executive.