Google's 42.1 Billion Won Fine Verdict Set for February Next Year

The verdict in the lawsuit filed by Google against the Korea Fair Trade Commission's sanctions over "app market monopoly" is scheduled for early 2026. On November 6, the Seoul High Court's Administrative Division 3 (Presiding Judge Yoon Kangyeol) announced that it would deliver its ruling on February 12, 2026, after hearing oral arguments from both Google and the Fair Trade Commission. Google: "Game Companies Make Voluntary Choices" Google argued that "the exclusive conditional transactions claimed by the Fair Trade Commission and One Store are not substantiated." Google stated, "The Fair Trade Commission assumes that mobile game companies prefer to launch on multiple app markets, but that is not always the case," adding, "Some game companies choose a single app market, considering the nature of the game and maintenance costs, and this is especially true for top-tier companies releasing major titles." Under the Fair Trade Act, exclusive conditional transactions are prohibited; this ref

Law Times

11.12 15:30

Business Partner Admits to Giving 360 Million Won to OB Beer Executive

The head of an OB Beer business partner admitted, "I acknowledge having provided approximately 360 million won to an OB Beer executive." On November 11, at a trial related to OB Beer’s customs evasion case presided over by Judge Na Sanghun of the 13th Criminal Division at Seoul Northern District Court, Mr. Park, who appeared as a defendant, admitted to giving money to Mr. Jeong, the executive in charge of purchasing at OB Beer. In May 2025, prosecutors indicted Executive Jeong on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (customs), and also brought Mr. Park to trial for bribery. Prosecutors allege that from January 2020 to April 2025, Mr. Park provided approximately 360 million won to Executive Jeong, including the corporate card of Company A, in return for maintaining supply contracts and requesting price increases. On this day, Mr. Park admitted to all the charges and requested a swift verdict from the court. The court stated, "Since Execu

Law Times

11.12 15:20

"Honey Not Allowed": Lifeline for Diabetes Patient Blocked at Court Security Checkpoint

A man in his late 40s, referred to as Mr. A, had his honey confiscated at the security checkpoint in front of the courtroom when he came to court to attend his trial. Mr. A has type 1 diabetes. Because he never knows when he might experience hypoglycemic shock, he always carries honey with him. For him, honey is a "lifeline." Mr. A explained, "Honey is not a snack, but an emergency life-support medical item that saves my life." However, the court security officer told him, "According to the guidelines, you are not allowed to bring it into the courtroom." He wanted to show his medical certificate, but it was difficult to submit it immediately as he had to attend his trial. According to the National Health Insurance Service, the number of type 1 diabetes patients in Korea has been steadily increasing in recent years. The number of patients was approximately 44,753 in 2021, about 45,077 in 2022, around 48,855 in 2023, and more than 52,671 in 2024. The Korea Type 1 Diabetes Association arg

Law Times

11.12 15:15

[Invest&Law] 'Hyosung Corruption' Lee Sangwoon Retrial Verdict Set for December 4

The sentencing date for Lee Sangwoon, Vice Chairman of Hyosung Group, who has been on trial for more than a decade due to the Hyosung Group corruption case, has been set. On November 6, the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Lee Seunghan) announced that it would deliver its verdict on December 4, after concluding the trial on charges including violations of the Commercial Act related to unlawful dividend distribution. During the trial, Vice Chairman Lee's attorney challenged the prosecution's calculation of the amount of tax evasion, arguing for the application of the minimum tax. The minimum tax is the least amount of tax that an individual or corporation with income must pay. Vice Chairman Lee himself appealed to the court, asking for leniency so that he could properly wrap up company affairs. The court stated that it intended to deliver the verdict within the year but left room for further proceedings, saying, "If the prosecution raises new issues, the tria

Law Times

11.12 11:34

Should In-House Counsel Also Be Granted ACP?

Legal teams at major corporations such as HYBE and Kakao Mobility have recently been subject to search and seizure operations related to company incidents. As such cases appear to be increasing compared to the past, there is a growing argument that in introducing Attorney-Client Privilege (ACP), in-house counsel should also be included as protected parties. In-house counsel now account for nearly a quarter of all attorneys. South Korea is effectively the only member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not legally guarantee ACP. The current Attorney-at-Law Act only stipulates the confidentiality obligation of lawyers, without specifying the right to protect client secrets from investigative actions such as search and seizure. During his candidacy, President Lee Jaemyung pledged to introduce ACP as part of his campaign promises. Seo Youngkyo, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, has proposed a bill that would prevent emails and

Law Times

11.10 15:20

[Decision] "Deducting 20% as a Withdrawal Penalty from Regional Housing Cooperatives Is Excessive"

The Supreme Court has ruled that deducting 20% of the total contribution as a penalty from members who lose their eligibility in a regional housing cooperative is excessively unfair. The Civil Division 1 of the Supreme Court (Presiding Justice Noh Taeak) on October 16 dismissed the cooperative’s appeal and upheld the lower court’s partial ruling in favor of six plaintiffs, including Mr. A, who filed a lawsuit demanding the return of their contributions from the regional housing cooperative (Case No. 2023Da203221). [Facts]The plaintiffs, including Mr. A, entered into a membership agreement with a regional housing cooperative in Ulsan and paid contributions ranging from 41 million to 87 million won. Later, the cooperative passed a resolution at a general meeting stating that, in the event of loss of membership, only the balance after deducting 20% of the total contribution would be refunded. After losing their status as heads of household and thus their membership, the plaintiffs demande

Law Times

11.10 15:10

[Decision] Verbal Notice of Employment Refusal After Four Days of Training Deemed "Unfair Dismissal"

The court has ruled that it is unfair to dismiss a probationary employee who received four days of training and worked four hours each day, via a phone call. On September 5, the Seoul Administrative Court's Administrative Division 1 (Presiding Judge Yang Sangyun) ruled against Company A in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Central Labor Relations Commission's decision on unfair dismissal relief (2024GuHap82817). [Facts]Company A is a corporation engaged in the wholesale and retail of medical equipment, medical supplies, and hygiene products. It operates its headquarters in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, as well as two branches: one at Ulsan University Hospital in Dong-gu, Ulsan, and another at Jungang Hospital in Nam-gu, Ulsan. Mr. B worked and received training at the Ulsan University Hospital branch in Dong-gu, Ulsan, from October 23, 2023, to October 30, 2023. On October 31, 2023, Company A verbally notified Mr. B by phone of its intention to refuse to enter into a formal employment contract. Mr.

Law Times

11.10 15:00

"WBG Legal Department, Leading Development Issues Beyond Support" - Christopher Stefans, Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Christopher Stefans, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group (WBG), emphasized that "an efficient legal ecosystem plays a crucial role in economic development and in creating a favorable investment environment." He noted that the WBG Legal Department "directly contributes to addressing development challenges, going beyond traditional legal support functions." He also stated that the department actively supports member countries in establishing the rule of law and strengthening institutions, including by creating new organizations dedicated to legal advisory and knowledge sharing. Legal Control Tower for Development Projects During an interview with The Law Times, held on the occasion of his visit to Korea for the Sejong International Conference in September, Stefans explained, "The WBG consists of five independent entities: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finan

Law Times

11.05 16:00

Hyunamsa to Discontinue Large-Scale Legal Code Production... Exam Legal Codes to Continue

The production of Korea's first large-scale legal code compilation, the "Legal Code," will ultimately be discontinued. After its initial publication in 1959, its legacy will come to an end after 66 years. Publishing company Hyunamsa has decided to cease production of both the "Small Legal Code" and the "Tax Law" starting in 2026, due to the advent of the digital age and a sharp decline in demand. However, legal codes for exam preparation will continue to be produced. Hyunamsa has published a total of eight types of legal codes to date. These include the large-scale "Legal Code," as well as the "Small Legal Code" and "Tax Law," which compile major statutes by purpose, the "Exam Legal Code," the "Bar Exam Legal Code," the "Patent Attorney Exam Legal Code," the "Labor Law," and the "Legal Terminology Dictionary." Production Becomes Difficult Due to Declining Demand Hyunamsa cited declining demand as the reason for its decision to discontinue the production of three types of legal codes, i

Law Times

11.05 15:55

"Coin Discounts, Guaranteed Profits"... Heavy Sentences Handed Down for Leading Room Scams

Amidst the investment boom, fraudulent investment "leading rooms" promising "principal protection and high returns" are rampant, and courts are handing down heavy sentences to scammers who have caused significant financial damage. In August, the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced four defendants to prison terms ranging from three to eight years for operating a digital asset leading room and deceiving investors out of large sums of money (2024Godan3283). The defendants manipulated the price of certain coins and then falsely claimed on phone calls, KakaoTalk open chat, YouTube, and Telegram that they were selling high-value coins at discounted prices. It was revealed that they laundered the investment funds received from victims and split the proceeds among themselves. In July, the Gwangju District Court sentenced three defendants who operated a stock leading room to prison terms ranging from five years and six months to seven years (2025Gohap32). They were also fined 250 million wo

Law Times

11.05 15:45

Google's 42.1 Billion Won Fine Verdict Set for February Next Year

Business Partner Admits to Giving 360 Million Won to OB Beer Executive

"Honey Not Allowed": Lifeline for Diabetes Patient Blocked at Court Security Checkpoint

[Invest&Law] 'Hyosung Corruption' Lee Sangwoon Retrial Verdict Set for December 4

Should In-House Counsel Also Be Granted ACP?

[Decision] "Deducting 20% as a Withdrawal Penalty from Regional Housing Cooperatives Is Excessive"

[Decision] Verbal Notice of Employment Refusal After Four Days of Training Deemed "Unfair Dismissal"

"WBG Legal Department, Leading Development Issues Beyond Support" - Christopher Stefans, Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Hyunamsa to Discontinue Large-Scale Legal Code Production... Exam Legal Codes to Continue

"Coin Discounts, Guaranteed Profits"... Heavy Sentences Handed Down for Leading Room Scams

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