Apple Korea, which was investigated by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) on charges of "gapjil (power trip)" against mobile carriers, was found to have cut off its internal Internet network and interfered with the FTC's on-site investigation.
It has been confirmed that Apple Korea executives also blocked FTC investigators from entering the site.
The FTC said on March 31 that it will impose a fine of 300 million won on Apple Korea for obstructing on-site investigation and file a complaint with the prosecution against Apple Korea and its executive A.
If you deliberately block or delay entering the site, you may be sentenced to up to three years in prison or fined up to 200 million won. The FTC fined Apple Korea 200 million won for blocking the network and 100 million won for not submitting data.
According to the FTC, Apple Korea is suspected of blocking its Internet network by itself to disrupt the investigation when the FTC conducted an on-site investigation of its headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul in June 2016.
The FTC reported that the FTC conducted an on-site investigation at Apple Korea's headquarters for eight days and the company did not restore the Internet network that it blocked throughout the investigation period.
As Apple resisted by cutting off the Internet network, the FTC failed to secure internal computer data, which is key evidence to prove Apple's power abuse.
Apple is suspected of interfering with the FTC's investigation during an on-site investigation in November 2017. At that time, Apple Korea executive A was found to have stopped and delayed entering the headquarters for about 30 minutes by pulling the arms of security guards, foreign cooperation team staff and FTC investigators.
Apple was investigated for abusing its power by handing over advertising and repair costs to mobile carriers, but Apple avoided sanctions last month by offering 100 billion won worth of win-win funds by discounting iPhone repair costs and easing the burden on mobile carriers.
An official of the FTC said, "Apple Korea's interference with the investigation was strictly sanctioned in accordance with the 'no tolerance principle'.
"We have cooperated with the FTC as much as we can in the process, and Apple and its employees have done nothing illegal," Apple Korea said. "We abide by the laws of all countries that carry out the business, and we can never agree with the FTC's decision."
