South Korea: Qualcomm files second appeal against KFTC order

The US chipmaker Qualcomm has decided to file an appeal to the Supreme Court of South Korea regarding a decision from a lower court which rejected the company’s appeal of an order from the South Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) that resulted in the largest fine in Korean history, the company said Tuesday, September 5.

After nearly three years of investigation, the KFTC found Qualcomm guilty of monopolistic practices in December, ordering the chipset maker to pay about US$850 million in penalties. The commission said Qualcomm had an “unfair business model” that helped it more than double its share of the LTE chip market to 69% from 34% in 2010 over five years.

The KFTC order came after Qualcomm agreed in 2015 to pay a fine amounting to almost US$1 billion in China, where it was investigated for monopolising the market.

Qualcomm said it would appeal the Seoul High Court ruling, which rejected the company’s initial appeal of the KFTC order earlier on Tuesday. The high court ruled the KFTC’s order wouldn’t cause Qualcomm’s business to suffer “irreparable harm.”

“Qualcomm continues to believe that the KFTC’s decision is not supported by the acts and law, and was the product of a hearing and investigation that denied Qualcomm fundamental due process rights,” the company said in its statement.
Full Content: Korea Times

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