S-Oil wins case against FTC over price fixing

Korea’s Supreme Court sided with S-Oil Corp. in an antitrust lawsuit, acquitting the company of fixing prices with other companies. The decision is in line with the Seoul High Court ruling issued in January 2008 that dismissed the antitrust agency’s accusation of price fixing. S-Oil welcomed the ruling, saying it proved that the company had nothing to do with price fixing as charged by the antitrust agency. In April 2007, the Fair Trade Commission accused four local oil companies–GS Caltex Corp., Hyundai Oilbank Co., SK Energy Corp. and S-Oil–of fixing the prices of gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene between April 1, 2004 and June 10, 2006. These four companies were given correction orders and fined a total of 52.6 billion won (US$45.5 million). (February 12, 2010)