Mobilizing All Five Regional Offices
Signaling Uncompromising Law Enforcement
The Korea Fair Trade Commission has launched an all-out nationwide investigation, mobilizing both its headquarters and regional offices, to eradicate chronic collusion in the school uniform market, which has been at the center of controversy over high prices. Chairman Joo Byunggi defined the large-scale fines imposed on sugar manufacturers as a "global standard" and signaled uncompromising law enforcement against any collusion that disrupts the cost of living.
Joo Byunggi, Chairman of the Korea Fair Trade Commission, is attending and speaking at a Task Force meeting of relevant ministers on the Special Management of Living Costs held at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Feb. 26, 2026. Photo by Cho Yongjun
At the second meeting of the Task Force of Relevant Ministers on the Special Management of Living Costs held at the Government Complex Seoul on the 26th, Chairman Joo declared full-scale pressure, stating, "School uniforms, which have recently come under fire for high prices, are an item where customary collusion has continued."
Chairman Joo said, "The Fair Trade Commission has already mobilized its headquarters and five regional offices to swiftly launch a nationwide investigation into four school uniform manufacturers and around 40 dealerships nationwide." Referring in particular to the upcoming deliberation next month on a bid-rigging case involving 136 schools in the Gwangju area, he stressed, "We will strictly sanction violations of the law and completely eradicate chronic collusion."
Immediately after the meeting, Chairman Joo made the government’s determination to stamp out collusion even clearer through his personal social networking service account. Regarding the 408.3 billion won in fines recently imposed for sugar price-fixing, Chairman Joo said, "Some see it as unprecedented in scale, but it is more appropriate to regard it as a global standard," adding, "Only when such a standard is upheld can we eradicate collusion and normalize the market system."
By defining collusion, which undermines the freedom of competition guaranteed by the market system and harms a large number of consumers, as a "serious unfair practice," he is understood to have indicated that there will be no compromise in sanctions in ongoing investigations into flour (worth 5.08 trillion won) and starch sugar as well.
The government’s strong resolve to eradicate collusion is leading to changes in the market. According to the Fair Trade Commission, businesses in key raw material sectors such as sugar (down 16.5%), flour (down up to 7.9%), and starch sugar (down up to 16.7%) are voluntarily lowering prices. Chairman Joo stated, "We will continue to monitor the situation so that these positive effects spread across processed foods and everyday necessities as a whole."
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