Corporate watchdog chief calls for tougher penalties for obstructing investigations

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SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's antitrust chief on Sunday called for tougher financial penalties against companies that refuse to cooperate with investigations, following a recent dispute involving e-commerce giant Coupang.

Joo Byung-ki, chair of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), said imposing fines equivalent to 1 percent of a company's total revenue for obstructing investigations would strengthen the watchdog's enforcement powers.

"Imposing a fine equivalent to 1 percent of a company's total revenue for refusing to cooperate with an investigation, rather than a slap on the wrist, would strengthen investigative powers and make law enforcement more effective," Joo said in an interview with public broadcaster KBS.

Joo Byung-ki, chair of the Fair Trade Commission, speaks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 21, 2026. (Yonhap)

Joo said the FTC's existing investigative authority was largely sufficient, but stressed the need for tougher penalties against companies that refuse to cooperate.

While some laws enforced by the FTC allow financial penalties and criminal sanctions for obstructing investigations, the Act on Fair Transactions in Large Retail Business provides only for administrative fines.

The legal limitation came to light after the FTC's on-site investigation into Coupang was thwarted in August. A court rejected Coupang's request to suspend the probe last month, prompting the company to appeal.

Joo called for legal revisions to allow heavier financial penalties and enforcement fines in such cases.

ejkim@yna.co.kr (END)

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Corporate watchdog chief calls for tougher penalties for obstructing investigations

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首尔，10 月 25 日（韩联社）——韩国反垄断机构负责人周日呼吁对拒绝配合调查的公司处以更严厉的经济处罚，此前电子商务巨头 Coupang 发生了一起纠纷。

公平交易委员会（FTC）主席朱炳基表示，对妨碍调查的公司处以相当于其总收入 1% 的罚款，将加强监管机构的执法权力。

Joo在接受韩国公共广播公司KBS采访时表示：“对拒绝配合调查的公司处以相当于其总收入1%的罚款，而不是轻描淡写地处罚，将加强调查权力，使执法更加有效。”

2026年10月21日，公平交易委员会委员长朱炳基在首尔国会出席国会听证会并发表讲话。（韩联社）

Joo表示，联邦贸易委员会现有的调查权限在很大程度上已经足够，但他强调，需要对拒绝合作的公司处以更严厉的处罚。

虽然联邦贸易委员会执行的一些法律允许对妨碍调查的行为处以罚款和刑事制裁，但《大型零售企业公平交易法》只规定了行政罚款。

这一法律限制是在美国联邦贸易委员会（FTC）8月份对Coupang的现场调查受阻后才曝光的。上个月，法院驳回了Coupang暂停调查的请求，该公司随后提起上诉。

Joo呼吁修改法律，允许对此类案件处以更重的经济处罚和强制执行罚款。

ejkim@yna.co.kr (完)

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