Intel draws ire of Korean antitrust authorities

By Colleen Taylor, Contributing Editor -- Electronic News, 9/12/2007

For the second time in as many months, industry leading chipmaker Intel Corp. has come under fire the possible infringement of foreign antitrust laws.

According to a statement released today by the Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), the KFTC has completed its two-year-long investigation into Intel's business practices and has sent a "statement of objections" to the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company. KFTC officials said that whether Intel violated Korea's fair trade and monopoly regulation act and whether there will be any sanctions on Intel have not yet been decided, but are to be reviewed and decided by the full commission.  

The KFTC probe is not the first time that Intel has been placed under the microscope for allegedly engaging in anticompetitive business practices. In March 2005, Japan's Fair Trade Commission ruled that Intel had violated the country's anti-monopoly laws by forcing full or partial exclusivity with five Japanese PC makers.

In July, the European Commission wrapped its own six-year-long probe into Intel by charging the company  with violating European Union antitrust laws.

The KFTC said that the specific time schedule for the hearing for the Intel case has not been determined.

When reached by Electronic News, Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said that the company hopes to prove its innocence to the authorities as the case progresses. "We hope to convince the KFTC that the microprocessor market is functioning normally, is fiercely competitive, and that Intel's business practices are lawful, pro competitive and beneficial to consumers," Mulloy said.