South Korean Regulators to Crack Down Further on Unfair Practices by Google

The South Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has taken action against Google, implementing a new set of measures in response to accusations of stifling domestic competition. The FTC has ordered Google to revise its agreements with domestic developers and establish an internal monitoring system to oversee fair-trade issues in the Korean market. These measures come after Google was fined $32 million for their alleged monopolistic practices, which included suppressing competition from One Store, a Korean rival to the Google Play Store.

The Korean Fair Trade Commission emphasized the importance of competition in the mobile app market, stating that a monopolistic app market can negatively impact the entire mobile ecosystem. The latest measures are seen as a significant step towards curbing Google’s dominance and promoting fair competition in the app market.

Regulator Scrutiny Targets Tech Giants

The scrutiny of tech giants by regulators is becoming increasingly common, with companies like Google and Apple facing significant crackdowns. The focus is now shifting towards specific areas of their businesses that previously went unnoticed. Both Google and Apple have faced accusations of monopolistic practices due to their strict terms of service and the resources they can leverage to maintain their leading positions.

While it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be, they serve as a wake-up call for Google’s management, particularly in the Korean market. If successful, other regulators in different markets may also consider implementing similar measures.