South Korea: Verdict on Google returns as not guilty

South Korean antitrust regulators found Google not guilty of anticompetitive practices, acquitting the search giant of abusing its dominance after complaints against the firm surfaced more than two years ago. The Fair Trade Commission ruled that rivals, NHN and Daum Communications, which first filed the complaints, continue to hold a healthy and significant portion of the domestic search market. The two claimed Google held an unfair stance in the market by requiring all Android devices to set Google as its default search engine. The FTC conducted various raids and an in-depth probe into the matter, concluding that the rival companies were not harmed by Google’s practices. The news is a win for Google, which continues to face scrutiny in the EU following the announcement that European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia will require more concessions from the search giant if it would like the investigation in the EU to end.

Full Content: Engadget

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.