South Korean regulator orders Intel to pay US$25.4 million

SEOUL -- South Korea’s antitrust regulator said Thursday it will order Intel Corp. to pay 26 billion won (US$25.4 million) for violating fair trade rules.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission said in a statement Thursday that it was issuing the order because the semiconductor giant offered rebates to South Korean computer companies to undercut competitor Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Intel immediately criticized the ruling and said it would consider its options, including a possible appeal.

“We’re disappointed and we completely disagree with the findings,” Bruce Sewell, Intel senior vice president and general counsel, said in Seoul.

The KFTC last year charged Intel with violating South Korean antitrust laws after completing a two-year probe.

The commission said that Intel provided rebates to Samsung Electronics Co. and other South Korean computer makers to not use central processing units, or CPUs, manufactured by AMD, Intel’s main competitor. Samsung spokesman Lee Soo-Jeong said the company had no comment.

Intel has been scrutinized by regulators in several countries and the European Union over allegations it abused its market dominance to pressure computer makers and undermine rivals.

Intel dominates the world market for microprocessors, the electronic brains of computers.

The company, based in Santa Clara, California, has faced numerous legal battles over how it maintains its market position. The company has repeatedly denied breaking any laws.

AMD is based in Sunnyvale, California.

Intel’s Sewell said that the company would wait for the issuance of an official outcome from the commission, which could take between 30 and 60 days, before deciding a course of action.

Details of the ruling could change during that period.

Subscribe to The China Post and save.  Click hereSharePrintEmail
Write a Comment



CAPTCHA Code Image
Change the code
 Receive China Post promos Respond to this email
Subscribe  |   Advertise  |   RSS Feed  |   About Us  |   Career  |   Contact Us
Sitemap  |   Top Stories  |   Taiwan  |   China  |   Business  |   Asia  |   World  |   Sports  |   Life  |   Arts & Leisure  |   Health  |   Editorial  |   Commentary
Travel  |   Movies  |   TV Guide  |   Classifieds  |   Bookstore  |   Getting Around  |   Weather  |   Guide Post  |   Student Post  |   English Courses  |   Terms of Use  |   Sitemap