KMOJ
Dear esteemed representatives and distinguished guests,
It is with great honor and sincere pleasure that we welcome you to Seoul, the vibrant capital of Korea, as we are embarking on a journey toward a more just and equitable society. We are especially delighted to invite you to the 2025 Cartel Workshop of the ICN, a leading global forum dedicated to the promotion of effective competition law enforcement.
Today, the rapid advancement of technologies such as digital platforms and artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the global market. Cross-border cartels and monopolistic practices are evolving in increasingly complex forms. In response, nations around the world are actively engaging in discussions on how to recalibrate their enforcement paradigms and strengthen international cooperation.
For over 80 years, the KMOJ(Korea Ministry of Justice) has steadfastly upheld the rule of law and protected the rights of our citizens. As the national authority responsible for civil, commercial, and criminal enforcements, we have rigorously pursued the enforcement of laws against unlawful cartels and accountable individuals, while consistently refining our legal and institutional frameworks to foster free and fair competition.
Furthermore, in our capacity as the legal representative of the State litigation and the administrative lawsuit, we have defended the public interest and advanced policies that safeguard consumers and citizens from unfair practices. Most recently, we have undertaken reforms to the Commercial Act aimed at strengthening shareholder rights and promoting fair corporate decision-making—steps aligned with our commitment to fostering a sound and trustworthy market order.
The upcoming Cartel Workshop in November will signify a milestone in the collaboration between the KMOJ and the KFTC—the two agencies entrusted with cartel enforcement in Korea. Set against the backdrop of dynamic Seoul, this event will bring together global experts to share insights into the evolving nature of cartel conduct in the digital age and explore practical, cooperative strategies to uphold the shared value of fair competition.
The KMOJ remains firmly committed to supporting the ICN and contributing to the global advancement of competition law enforcement. I look forward with great anticipation to all of your visit to Seoul.
Sung-ho Jung
Minister of Justice
KFTC
The Korea Fair Trade Commission invites you to the International Competition Network (ICN) Cartel Workshop event, held again in Seoul after 20 years since 2005.
This event will be a special opportunity to discuss various emerging cartel issues around the world, along with competition policies and law enforcement measures to address them, together with competition authorities and experts from many countries.
Today, the expansion of the digital economy and advances in new technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence promote market competition and innovation more than ever. However, on the other hand, cartels are becoming more covert, making detection difficult, and new types of cartels, such as algorithmic collusion, are emerging, posing new challenges.
At this juncture, I believe it is crucial for competition authorities to respond to economic and technological changes by collaboratively seeking solutions to new challenges in the formulation of competition policy and law enforcement.
Accordingly, this event will feature in-depth discussions focusing on competition authorities' cartel detection using new technologies, law enforcement related to new types of collusion, enhancing the effectiveness of traditional cartel detection methods such as leniency programs, and international cooperation in cartel enforcement. In addition, we have prepared various topics that allow participation from young competition authorities, technology experts, and non-governmental advisors (NGAs).
We ask for your keen interest and active participation so that this event can serve as an opportunity to strengthen the capabilities of individual competition authorities and advance international cooperation in the cartel field through sharing enforcement experiences, exchanging views between competition authorities and NGAs, and fostering closer ties among participants. Thank you.
Biung Ghi Ju
Chairperson of the Korea Fair Trade Commission