South Korean regulator accuses Google of abusing Android app store dominance

South Korea’s antitrust authority, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), says Google violated competition rules in the Android app marketplace. The regulator’s Market Surveillance Bureau detailed a program, called “Project Hug,” that provided game developers financial support from July 2019 to March 2026 on the condition they distribute their games through Google Play. The support increased as developers earned more revenue, creating incentives to give Google Play a de‑facto exclusive status and limiting distribution through rival stores such as South Korea’s OneStore.

The KFTC estimates the alleged abuse affected 14.16 trillion won (about $9.1 billion) in revenue. If the commission concludes that Google abused its dominant position, it could impose a fine of up to 6 % of the affected revenue. Google has eight weeks to submit a written response, after which the KFTC will convene the full commission and issue a final ruling.