South Korea fines Motorola over radio bid (South Korea)

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has levied a fine of 696 million won ($729,000) on Motorola’s Korean unit for helping three South Korean companies collude to get orders from government agencies.

Leenos and two other South Korean companies were fined a combined 282 million won ($295,000) for conspiring to coordinate their bidding prices for the supply of mobile telecommunications devices to state police agencies, the antitrust agency said in a statement.

The three companies worked as sales agents for Motorola’s trunked radio system, sold in the South Korean market, the statement said.

Motorola Korea, the South Korean unit of US mobile phone maker Motorola, criticized the ruling.

“We are disappointed by and disagree with the conclusion of the KFTC with respect to Motorola Korea Inc.,” Motorola Korea said in a statement.

Motorola Korea said it planned to decide how to respond, including whether to appeal, after receiving and reviewing the regulator’s written decision.

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