Republic of Korea: Fair Trade Commission reviewed Google’s request for a consent decision concerning its alleged violations of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act

On 14 May 2025, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced it had reviewed Google’s request for a consent decision regarding its bundling of YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium, practices that had been under investigation for potentially limiting consumer choice and distorting fair competition in the online music service market. At its plenary session, the FTC assessed Google’s proposed corrective measures, including the introduction of a standalone video subscription option and a KRW 30 billion support package for industry stakeholders. The FTC concluded that the case qualifies for the consent decision procedure under the Fair Trade Act. This procedural step enables voluntary commitments by the company instead of a formal ruling on legal violations. The FTC will now seek stakeholder input and work with Google to refine the proposed remedies before reaching a final decision.