Fair Trade Commission Chairman Ju Biung-ghi speaks during a meeting with condustruction industry officials in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
The Fair Trade Commission's (FTC) move to revive a long-defunct investigation bureau is reigniting debate over whether the step will strengthen market oversight or further weigh on corporate sentiment.
The antitrust watchdog said it will launch a new Key Investigation Planning Bureau to handle large-scale violations involving online platforms, monopolistic practices and major conglomerates.
The unit is widely viewed as a revival of the FTC’s former Investigation Bureau, which was dismantled in 2005 amid criticism that it excessively interfered in corporate management activities.
The previous bureau had gained notoriety for conducting sweeping investigations into major business groups, often dubbed the “grim reaper of the business community.”
