South Korean lawmakers on Friday criticized Japan’s actions against Naver, the country’s top internet portal operator, as “excessive” and potentially damaging to improving bilateral relations. The criticism comes after Tokyo issued a non-binding administrative guidance requesting that Line Yahoo Corporation (LY Corp.), the operator of Japan’s widely used Line messenger, reconsider its financial reliance on Naver following a data leak involving over 300,000 cases last year.

Lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party urged Japan to resolve the issue without harming bilateral ties. Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon statedthat the Japanese government’s demand was