Samsung faces fair trade probe

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has launched a probe into whether Samsung Electronics engaged in a form of dumping to win a major supply deal with Apple Computer Inc. for its iPod Nano players. “We are now checking whether the allegation is true,” an official from the antitrust watchdog said yesterday, declining to provide details. The investigation comes a month after Kim Hyun-mi, a lawmaker from the ruling Uri party, questioned regulators over allegations that Samsung sold NAND flash memory chips, used for mass storage of music and video files, to Apple at a discount of 50 percent. Samsung has also been under pressure from local digital music player manufacturers. In other news, the antitrust regulator postponed issuing a verdict on allegations that Microsoft Korea violated Korea’s fair trade laws. The verdict had been expected yesterday. Without going into why, the watchdog said the investigation is complete but the nine-member committee has so far failed to agree on its findings. Under committee rules, a simple majority is required to reach a verdict but it has been customary to push for a unanimous decision. An official from the fair trade body said it is highly likely that the verdict will be made by Nov. 30. by Seo Ji-eun