South Korea, Philippines ink partnership for competition law enforcement

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has teamed up with the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) to strengthen cooperation in enforcing competition laws.

PCC chairperson Michael Aguinaldo and KFTC chairperson Biung-Ghi Ju signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of the 2026 International Competition Network Annual Conference last May 8.

The MOU provides a framework for close bilateral coordination and consultation between the Philippines and South Korea on competition laws.

Under the MOU, the two competition authorities commit to exchanging information, best practices and experiences through staff exchanges and the sharing of knowledge on matters of mutual interest.

These include law enforcement methods, emerging trends in enforcement activities and other competition-related policies and regulations.

For seamless communication, the parties will appoint official liaisons.

The sharing of information and best practices will be subject to the two countries’ respective national laws, regulations and confidentiality requirements.

Also part of the MOU are protocols for notifications regarding enforcement activities that may significantly affect the interests of either party.

The KFTC has been a long-standing partner of the PCC.

“By signing this MOU, both agencies institutionalize a stronger partnership to explore new areas of collaboration, signifying a mutual commitment to fostering fair and competitive markets in both the Philippines and South Korea,” the PCC said.

The PCC is mandated to enforce the Philippine Competition Act, which prohibits anti-competitive practices, abuse of dominance and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions.