Apple takes more heat in South Korea

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Yanitsa Boyadzhiev

 

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) continued to target Apple over a long-running probe into claims the vendor abused its dominant position in the apps and device markets, accusing the company of obstructing its investigation by preventing access to documents and premises.

In a statement, the regulator said it had referred Apple’s Korean unit and one of its executives to prosecutors over claims of obstructing an on-site investigation in November 2017 by deliberately preventing or delaying the entry of officials into the company’s premises.

Apple executive Ryu O-Oh allegedly tried to prevent entry into the site by physical means at the time.

The authority also imposed a KRW300 million ($264,326) fine over Apple’s refusal to provide the information requested in 2016 and 2017 in relation to network disruption, preventing the examination of its practices.

Apple reportedly agreed a KRW100 billion settlement of the competition probe with the FTC last month.

The FTC began gathering evidence in the competition case in 2016 before initiating a full probe in 2019.

SOURCE: MOBILE WORLD LIVE