The Fair Trade Commission has announced that it will innovate the fair trade law enforcement process in the future and promote market competition, but strictly sanction foul acts.
On the morning of the 16th, the Fair Trade Commission conducted a departmental business report to President Yoon Seok-yeol in the presidential office, which included such content as a core project.
The business report was conducted by Vice Chairman Yoon Su-hyeon on behalf of Chairman Cho Seong-wook, who had previously resigned.
The Fair Trade Commission announced in its business report that it would first innovate the fair trade law enforcement process.
He explained that he would make the specific object and scope of the investigation clearer to the companies under investigation, and create a new objection procedure during the investigation process, such as submitting data.
He also mentioned that in cases of unfair support and exploitation of private interests, the subject of exceptions for legal use will be clarified, and in the case of online platforms, law enforcement standards will be prepared in consideration of operating behavior.
The Fair Trade Commission also announced that it would carry out regulatory reforms to promote free market competition.
Specifically, it was decided to improve the regulation that prohibits ‘car sharing (car sharing)’ operators from operating in the area of another sales office with a vehicle registered in one sales office, and also to ease the bidding standards for group meal service for public institutions.
In addition, as previously announced, he explained that it would reduce and adjust the scope of ‘specially related persons’ of the head of the family in order to alleviate the corporate burden of large corporations, while expanding the suspension of incorporation of small and medium-sized venture companies into conglomerates.
In the case of mergers and acquisitions where there is little concern about competition restrictions, the report is exempted or the expedited review is expanded.
At the same time, the Fair Trade Commission emphasized that violations in the market that fundamentally undermine the principles of fair competition will be strictly re-enacted.
In particular, he added that he would block competitors from entering the market and interfering with business activities in key areas of the digital economy, such as semiconductors and mobile devices, while intensively monitoring collusion in areas that are closely related to people’s lives or directly related to industrial competitiveness.
In addition, he explained that he would intensively inspect acts of extortion of private interests or unfair support, such as driving work unrelated to efficiency, and, in principle, prosecute acts that significantly disrupt the order of competition.
In addition, the Fair Trade Commission announced that it would distribute subcontract price interlocking contracts with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to strengthen the fair trade basis of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and consider ways to legislate the linkage of delivery unit prices in the future.
He also mentioned that he would focus on deceptive acts in the field of digital platforms, such as behind-the-scenes advertisements on social media and false reviews, and focus on providing safety information directly related to people’s lives and bodies.
After receiving the business report, President Yoon Seok-yeol ordered Vice-Chairman Yoon to “reinforce the transparency and predictability of enforcement procedures such as law enforcement standards, investigations and adjudication in order to establish fair trade order.”
President Yoon also urged, “Especially in handling cases, do everything possible to preserve and manage evidence, and to establish an expedited processing system.”
[사진 출처 : 연합뉴스]