Seoul court stays Korean antitrust price-reset order against Moorim and peers
The Seoul High Court has suspended enforcement of the Korea Fair Trade Commission's order that six Korean printing-paper makers reset their prices independently, granting stays to four of them: Moorim SP, Moorim Paper, Moorim P&P and Korea Paper. The stays run until 30 days after the first-instance judgment in the companies' main lawsuits. The KFTC fined the six a combined KRW 338.3bn (USD 250m) in April 2026 over alleged coordinated price rises and discount cuts between February 2021 and December 2024, and says it will appeal.
Why this mattersA stayed price-reset order lets affected mills keep current pricing pending litigation, reducing near-term uncertainty over Korean printing-paper pricing.
- Seoul High Court granted execution stays to Moorim SP, Moorim Paper and Moorim P&P on 28 August 2026; Korea Paper's application was granted separately
- The stays run until 30 days after the first-instance ruling in the main proceedings
- Four of the six sanctioned paper companies have now had the price re-determination order suspended
- The KFTC's April 2026 decision fined Moorim SP, Moorim Paper, Moorim P&P, Korea Paper, Hansol Paper and Hongwon Paper a combined KRW 338.3bn (USD 250m), alleging more than 60 meetings between February 2021 and December 2024
- The price re-determination order was only the second in KFTC history, after the April 2006 flour-cartel case
- The KFTC said it will appeal the stay rulings and defend the legality of its order in the main proceedings
- The suspension, previously confirmed for Moorim SP, Moorim Paper, Moorim P&P and Korea Paper, is now also reported to cover Hansol Paper and Hongwon Paper, the remaining two of the six companies fined by the KFTC
- A National Assembly forum in Seoul on 2 October 2026 heard that the printing paper cartel cost the average printing firm KRW 93.6m (USD 68,800) over nearly four years.
- Cumulative losses across Korea's printing industry were estimated at KRW 525.5bn (USD 389.9m), separate from the KRW 338.3bn (USD 251.0m) KFTC fine.
- The Korea Printing Cooperative Federation submitted a petition signed by 5,005 printers seeking a victim-compensation fund and class-action mechanism.
- The KFTC reduced the total April 2026 fine from KRW 338.3bn to KRW 143.9bn (USD 107.3m) in June 2026 after partial appeals.
- Hansol Paper's KRW 142.6bn (USD 106.3m) fine was waived in full.
- Moorim P&P's fine was cut from KRW 91.9bn to KRW 57.4bn (USD 42.8m) and Moorim Paper's from KRW 45.8bn to KRW 28.6bn (USD 21.3m).
- Korea Paper Co (KRW 49.0bn/USD 36.5m) and Hongwon Paper (KRW 8.5bn/USD 6.3m) are pursuing administrative appeals at the Seoul High Court.
- Combined KFTC fines on six printing paper makers were reduced from KRW 338.3bn to KRW 143.9bn in June 2026 after partial relief
- Hansol Paper's original KRW 142.6bn fine was fully exempted
- Moorim P&P's fine was cut from KRW 91.9bn to KRW 57.4bn
- Moorim Paper's fine was cut from KRW 45.8bn to KRW 28.6bn
- Hansol Paper's KRW 142.58bn (USD 107.0m) fine in the April 2026 printing-paper cartel case was fully waived under the KFTC's leniency programme.
- A Moorim affiliate had its fine in the same case cut by KRW 51.7bn (USD 38.8m).
- After leniency reductions, the combined fine on the six printing-paper makers fell to KRW 144.1bn (USD 108.1m) from the original KRW 338.3bn (USD 253.8m).
- KFTC chairman Joo Byung-gi told the 12 October audit that the regulator has drafted legislation to curb leniency abuse and will pursue compensation for victims.