韩国FTC突击检查农心、三养、不倒翁、八道四家方便面厂，调查方便面价格串通，加工食品反垄断调查扩围

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has launched on-site inspections of four instant noodle makers — Nongshim (004370.KS), Ottogi, Paldo and Samyang Foods (003230.KS) — after earlier raids on major food companies including CJ CheilJedang (097950.KS) and Daesang. By extending its scope from sauces, tofu and kimchi to instant noodles, the regulator appears to be examining possible price-fixing across the food industry as a whole.
The FTC's special investigation planning unit conducted on-site inspections of the four instant noodle makers on the 28th, according to industry sources. The commission is looking into whether the companies engaged in improper conduct such as collusion in setting instant noodle prices, sources said. In 2012, the FTC penalized four companies — Nongshim, Samyang Foods, Ottogi and Korea Yakult — a combined 135.4 billion won ($94 million) for fixing instant noodle prices.
Earlier, the unit carried out inspections of major food companies including CJ CheilJedang, Daesang and Ottogi starting on the 14th of this month. The aim was to determine whether companies colluded in setting prices for six product categories: kimchi, tofu, edible oils, gift sets, instant rice and sauces. The investigation also covers whether companies held prior consultations when setting or raising prices since 2018, and whether they engaged in resale price maintenance to restrict discount sales by retailers since 2020, according to sources.
With instant noodle makers now added to the list, the FTC's investigation into processed food price-fixing is expanding further. While the earlier inspections covered multiple processed foods such as sauces, tofu, kimchi and instant rice, the latest action widens the scope to instant noodles as a separate category.
The investigation comes as the special investigation planning unit, launched on the 1st, concentrates its resources on unfair practices in sectors closely tied to household livelihoods. The FTC expanded its previous seven-member special investigation team into an organization of about 40 staff across three divisions, enabling it to focus on large-scale cases. After choosing the food industry as the target of its first on-site inspections since the launch, the regulator is strengthening its review of unfair practices related to food prices by adding more product categories.