South Korea fines Google $32 mln for blocking games on competing platform (updated)

Netmarble

11/04/2023 06:12

(Adds statement from Google)
    By Hyunsu Yim and Heekyong Yang
       SEOUL, April 11 (Reuters) - South Korea's antitrust
regulator has fined Alphabet Inc's  GOOGL.O  Google 42.1 billion
won ($31.88 million) for blocking the release of mobile video
games on a competitor's platform.
    The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said on Tuesday that
Google bolstered its market dominance, and hurt local app market
One Store's revenue and value as a platform, by requiring video
game makers to exclusively release their titles on Google Play
in exchange for providing in-app exposure between June 2016 and
April 2018.
    Google said it will review the final decision by the KFTC to
evaluate the next course of action. 
        "Google makes substantial investments in the success of
developers, and we respectfully disagree with the KFTC's
conclusions", a spokesperson said.
  
    The KFTC said the move against the U.S. technology giant is
part of efforts by the government to ensure fair markets.
    Game makers affected by Google's action include Netmarble
 251270.KS , Nexon  225570.KQ  and NCSOFT  036570.KS , as well
as other smaller companies, the antitrust regulator added.
    In 2021, Google was fined more than 200 billion won by the
KFTC for blocking customised versions of its Android operating
system.

($1 = 1,320.4200 won)

 (Reporting by Hyunsu Yim and Heekyong Yang; Editing by Kenneth
Maxwell and Christian Schmollinger)
 ((Hyunsu.Yim@thomsonreuters.com;))