South Korea: Audio giant Dolby under probe

South Korea’s antitrust watchdog has launched a full-scale probe into US audio giant Dolby Laboratories on accusations that it has abused its market position to pocket unfairly high royalties.

The Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has already conducted an on-site inspection on Dolby, said KFTC Chairman Kim Sang-jo at a parliamentary audit session on Monday, October 15.

“[In regard to Dolby,] we have already conducted a field investigation following complaints raised by an official,” said the KFTC Chairman Kim during the annual National Assembly audit. “The 2015 Dolby investigation looked into the contracts, but in the recent investigation, we are looking into commissions charged on patent use and cancellation charges.”

The KFTC chairman said that since the issue is related to patent disputes and is thus complicated, it would take time to reach a conclusion. Kim’s comments were in response to claims by the Liberty Korea Party’s Kim Yong-tae that the KFTC should investigate possible gapjil, or abuse of power, by Dolby.

Full Content: Korea Joongang Daily

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