South Korea probes Samsung over Apple antitrust complaints

South Korean regulators are investigating complaints filed by Apple Inc that Samsung Electronics Co is abusing its dominant position in wireless technology, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said.

The FTC is investigating whether Samsung is unfairly competing in the market by abusing its dominance in wireless technology patents. Apple filed its complaints earlier this year, said an FTC official, who is not authorized to talk to the media. Samsung pledged in 1998 to license its 3G patents to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Samsung said it has at all times met its obligations to the fair licensing of its telecoms standards-related patents.