What penalty did FTC Chair Ju Biung-ghi propose for companies that obstruct investigations?

Ju proposed a fine equivalent to 1 percent of a company’s total revenue for refusing to cooperate with an investigation. He said this would strengthen the FTC’s investigative powers and make law enforcement more effective.

Why does the Act on Fair Transactions in Large Retail Business limit penalties for obstructing FTC investigations?

The law provides only for administrative fines for obstruction, unlike some other laws enforced by the FTC that allow financial penalties and criminal sanctions. Ju called for legal revisions to allow heavier financial penalties and enforcement fines.

What happened after Coupang blocked the FTC’s on-site investigation?

A court rejected Coupang’s request to suspend the probe last month, and Coupang appealed. The dispute brought attention to the limits on penalties available under the law governing large retail businesses.

Corporate watchdog chief calls for tougher penalties for obstructing investigations

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Summary

Fair Trade Commission Chair Ju Biung-ghi on Sunday called for tougher financial penalties against companies that obstruct investigations, following a dispute involving Coupang. Ju proposed fines of up to 1 percent of a company’s total revenue, saying stronger penalties would improve enforcement. He said existing investigative authority was largely sufficient, but some laws enforced by the FTC allow only administrative fines for obstruction. The legal limitation surfaced after Coupang blocked an on-site investigation in August and a court rejected its request to suspend the probe.

Key Facts

Ju made the proposal in an interview with public broadcaster KBS.
The Act on Fair Transactions in Large Retail Business provides only for administrative fines when companies obstruct investigations.
Coupang appealed after a court rejected its request to suspend the FTC probe last month.
Ju called for legal revisions to permit heavier financial penalties and enforcement fines in such cases.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 25, 2026 2:20 pm KST

Ju Biung-ghi, chair of the Fair Trade Commission, speaks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

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.

Ju Biung-ghi, 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," Ju said in an interview with public broadcaster KBS.

Ju 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.

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

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