Apple, Samsung targets of Korean investigation for possible collusion

The Korea Times reports this morning that allegations from rival MP3 player manufacturers for the South Korean market have prompted that company’s Fair Trade Commission to investigate possible improper collusion. The allegations state that Samsung’s reduction in its prices for NAND flash memory enabled Apple to bring its new iPod nano to market at a price point that competitors couldn’t match.

Kang Chul-kyu, chairman of the Fair Trade Comission (FTC) told a CBS radio program [not affiliated with CBS in the US] on Saturday that the FTC "could take action" against the Samsung Electronics-Apple chip deal if local MP3 players request the probe.

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The Korea Portable Audio Consortium (KPAC), an interest group of digital music player producers, estimated there is a 10 percent price gap between Samsung’s flash memory chips supplied to Apple and local MP3 makers.

(Korea Times)