[ad_1]
The Fair Trade Commission decided to impose a total fine of 22.9 billion won on Hanwha Solutions and Hanwha Express, a transportation company, and indict Hanwha Solutions with the prosecution. This is because Hanwha Solutions inflicted damages on competitors by unreasonably conducting export container shipping work to Han Express, where the head of the household is the majority shareholder. However, Hanwha Group announced that it would file a lawsuit against Hanwha Group, saying, “I chose Han Express as the transport company in consideration of reduced logistics costs and expertise.”
FTC “Hanwha, unfair support for family members”
The FTC announced on the 8th that Hanwha Solutions imposed a correction order and a total of 22.9 billion won, saying that Hanwha Solutions unfairly provided 17.8 billion won to Han Express to increase the wealth of the Hanwha chairman. Group, Kim Seung-yeon. A penalty of KRW 15.687 billion was imposed on Hanwha Solutions and KRW 7.283 billion on Han Express. Hanwha Solutions Corporation decided to indict the prosecution. Han Express has a 51.97% stake in the family of Kim Young-hye, President Kim’s older sister.
The FTC believes that Hanwha Solutions, led by the Hanwha Group Office of Administrative Planning, has been working at Han Express for nearly 11 years to increase the fortune of President Kim’s family. According to the FTC survey, Hanwha Solutions signed a private contract with Han Express for all inland export containers (equivalent to 83 billion won) from June 2008 to March 2019, and paid a price higher than the price. general market. The amount of unfair support through this amounted to 8.7 billion won.
An FTC official said: “Companies generally do business with multiple companies to reduce transportation costs, but it is unusual for Hanwha Solutions to entrust all container ground transportation to Han Express. Will, ”he pointed out. The FTC suggested that Hanwha Solutions continued to trade with Han Express without any action despite the fact that there was a trucking company that offered a 37% lower freight rate than Han Express in 2014 as a basis for unfair support.
The FTC also announced that Hanwha Solutions sold chemicals such as hydrochloric acid from 2010 to 2018 and collected a toll tax by inserting Han Express in the middle of a transaction with a transportation company. The FTC explained: “As Hanwha Solutions designated Han Express as an ‘integrated carrier’, Han Express did not play a substantial role and earned a 20% margin in between.”
Hanwha’s strong opposition … “I will file an administrative lawsuit”
Hanwha Group immediately stated that it would file an objection claim, saying: “The transaction with Han Express was a reasonable option considering professionalism, regardless of the total family of the family.” A Hanwha Solutions official said: “We plan to file an administrative lawsuit within a year.”
Hanwha Group argued that the FTC had selected the evidence and found the charges against Hanwha Solutions. A Hanwha Group official said, “The FTC has investigated the unit transportation costs of 7 companies, and only 3 companies with lower unit prices have been selected as evidence.” Level. “The official also rebutted,” The Fair Trade Commission said HanExpress’ financial structure improved with unfair support, but how will Han Express, which has an asset of 300 billion won, improve its financial structure with a annual profit of 1.8 billion won “?
Experts expect both sides to continue fierce court battles in the future. An official from the legal profession said, “The support amount of 17.8 billion won over 10 years corresponds to 30.6% of HanExpress’ net profit, but it is negligible in the general logistics market.” I predicted. An official with the Fair Trade Commission said: “Since there is a high probability that other transport companies will be blocked from entering the market, we will be able to show sufficient unfair support.”
Reporter Sung Soo-young / Choi Man-soo [email protected]
Ⓒ Hankyung.com prohibits unauthorized reproduction and redistribution
