Organisation: Korea Fair Trade Commission

Korea’s antitrust authority has fined Kakao Mobility €18.9 million for secretly manipulating its algorithm on its mobile application to give preferential treatment to its own affiliated drivers.

14 February 2023

Korea’s antitrust authority has fined 17 domestic cement makers for a price-fixing and market-sharing conspiracy that affected construction projects for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

13 February 2023

Korea’s antitrust authority has sanctioned Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi for colluding on the implementation of emission-reduction technology, marking its first-ever cartel penalty relating to research and development.

09 February 2023

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission is seeking criminal charges against a domestic truckers’ union for obstructing the agency’s cartel-related dawn raid by refusing access to its headquarters amid a nationwide protest over freight rates.

25 January 2023

The Seoul High Court has dismissed an appeal brought by two telecommunication companies accused of implementing an illegal margin squeeze conspiracy – marking the first ruling in Korea that explicitly states the conduct amounts to an abuse of dominance.

17 January 2023

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has opened a public consultation into Broadcom’s offer to grant Samsung three-year warranties on mobile phone components and refrain from forcing smartphone makers into unfair deals to end an abuse of superior bargaining position probe.

09 January 2023

The Korean government has outlined a nine-step plan for improving competition in digital markets, including curbing abuses of dominance and the “reckless expansion” of large platforms.

06 January 2023

A non-governmental advisor at the International Competition Network has warned Asian antitrust agencies to ensure the general public can understand theories of harm against Big Tech companies, while an official at Korea’s Fair Trade Commission revealed his agency is preparing guidance on self-preferencing.

19 December 2022

Korea’s antitrust watchdog has approved a merger between two of the country’s three coated glass makers after the parties agreed to cap price increases over the next three years.

12 December 2022

A Korean court has revoked a €9 million abuse of dominance fine issued to naval engineering company Gaztransport & Technigaz but ordered the business to stop tying its technology licences with engineering services for liquified natural gas storage tanks.

07 December 2022