South Korea proposes bringing 'acqui-hire' deals under merger-notification rules
( September 9, 2026, 02:58 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: South Korea’s antitrust regulator has proposed revising its merger-notification guidelines to clarify that "acqui-hire" transactions involving the organized transfer of key personnel can constitute reportable business acquisitions. The Korea Fair Trade Commission said Wednesday the amendment is intended to prevent companies from avoiding merger-filing obligations as global tech companies increasingly recruit core teams from artificial intelligence startups through transactions that can have effects similar to conventional business transfers. Under the proposal, organized personnel and their technology or knowledge may form part of a business where they perform a core business function, while a transfer may amount to acquisition of a “major part” if it enables the buyer to carry on the seller’s existing business activities. The proposal also clarifies how acquisition value and transaction implementation should be assessed. Comments are due Sept. 30.Statement is attached (in Korean)....
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