Republic of Korea: Issued FTC ruling approving Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard

On 30 May 2023, the Korean Fair Trade Commission (FTC) approved Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, noting that there are no concerns about restricting competition in the domestic game market due to the exclusive offering of Blizzard games. The FTC determined that in the event of a blockade, the risk of other competitors being excluded is low since the overall share of games sold is low, and most of the games are sold outside of Korea. The FTC stated that it has consulted with stakeholders and foreign competition authorities during its investigation of the merger and its impact on the domestic market.