South Korea Fines Google $177 Million for Blocking Android Customisation

South Korea Fines Google $177 Million for Blocking Android Customisation
Google app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken on July 13, 2021. Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

SEOUL—South Korea’s antitrust regulator has fined Alphabet Inc’s Google 207 billion won ($176.64 million) for blocking customised versions of its Android operating system (OS), in the U.S. technology giant’s second setback in the country in less than a month.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said on Tuesday Google’s contract terms with device makers amounted to an abuse of its dominant market position that restricted competition in the mobile OS market.