[Alpha Biz= Ellie Kim] South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has launched investigations into alleged unfair trade practices at Musinsa and Lotte Himart.

According to KBS, the regulator dispatched investigators to the companies’ headquarters on the 27th to secure transaction records with suppliers. The FTC is reportedly examining whether Musinsa engaged in abusive practices toward vendors, particularly in its direct purchasing (inventory-buying) business model.

Musinsa operates both a marketplace model—charging commissions to sellers—and a direct retail model, with the probe focusing on potential unfair dealings in the latter.

The FTC has also initiated a parallel on-site inspection of Lotte Himart, the country’s leading electronics retailer, which operates 296 offline stores alongside its online platform.

Authorities are expected to closely assess whether large-scale distributors such as Musinsa and Lotte Himart violated the Fair Transactions in Large Retail Business Act. The move comes as the FTC continues broader investigations into major retailers, including CJ Olive Young and Asung Daiso, over similar allegations.

Musinsa and Lotte Himart reported annual revenues of approximately KRW 1.47 trillion and KRW 2.3 trillion, respectively, based on consolidated financial statements last year.

 

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