This is the new MLex platform. Existing customers should continue to use the existing MLex platform until migrated.
For any queries, please contact Customer Services or your Account Manager. Dismiss

South Korean president calls for tougher, swifter crackdown on cartels

( February 19, 2026, 07:33 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: Companies that repeatedly engage in cartels should be permanently expelled from the market, and a tougher, faster and more coordinated whole-of-government response is required to eradicate such market-disruptive behavior at its root, South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung said. Speaking at a senior secretaries’ meeting on Thursday, Lee said cartel activity remained widespread and entrenched in markets including sugar, flour, meat, school uniforms and real estate, and that cartel sanctions should prioritize economic penalties that far exceed illicit gains to directly undermine incentives for collusion. He added that overreliance on criminal punishment should be avoided, warning that it could lead to excessive penal measures without delivering effective and meaningful deterrence.The remarks follow (in Korean):...

Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today

MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term.


Know what others in the room don’t, with features including:

  • Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more
  • Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs
  • Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific
  • Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline

Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.

Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber? Click here to login

Related Sections