Photo = Fair Trade Commission

 

[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] The Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced on the 28th that it has imposed corrective orders and a total fine of 6.724 billion KRW on nine companies found to have colluded in bids for apartment system bathroom installations using a "stand-in bidding" scheme. The companies involved include Daelim Bathos, Seojin Housing, Sungil, SBC Industry, Unitech CNS, Lee Hyun Bath, Jaesung Bathwell, Hanssem, and Hanssem Service.

System bathrooms, known for their enhanced waterproofing and faster installation through simplified dry construction, are widely used in apartments, hotels, and offices. In these projects, construction firms typically conduct competitive bidding among registered suppliers, awarding contracts to the lowest bidders. However, the FTC found that these companies coordinated bids to ensure preselected winners by placing fake bids at predetermined prices.

The collusion spanned from 2015 to 2022, covering 114 bids for system bathroom installations commissioned by 52 construction firms, with the companies securing contracts for 100 projects amounting to 136.16 billion KRW.

 

 

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