[단독]Korea Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation Called for Lee Se-dol’s Retirement, FTC “No Problem”

Lee Se-dol 9 Dan is expressing his feelings after finishing the second country, a retirement powerhouse held in December 2019. News 1

The Fair Trade Commission concluded that there is no problem with the Articles of Incorporation of Professional Baduk, which 9 Dan Lee pointed out as unfair before retirement. The Articles of Incorporation of Korea Origin, which prevented knights who are not members of the Korean Professional Society, from participating in the competition, is because it is a long-standing practice in the sports world.

According to related industry sources on the 14th, the FTC Seoul office sent an official letter on the 28th of last month stating that the Korean origin and the Knights Association had been accused of restricting the withdrawal of their articles. The articles of incorporation, which triggered the report to the FTC, contain content that allows only drivers belonging to the Knights Association to participate in all competitions involving the Korean origin. The Knights Association is automatically subscribed to any engineer who joined the Korean Origin.

In July 2019, the Korean origin newly created the articles of association at the request of the Knights’ Meeting. This is because, in 2016, Se-dol Lee and his elder brother Lee Sang-hoon, 9th Dan, declared withdrawal after opposing the Knights Association to collect 3-15% of the tournament prize money as reserves. At the time, the Lee Se-dol brothers argued that it was unfair for the knights society, a social group, to take the income of the country without the consent of the driver himself.

The Fair Trade Commission saw that such an act is not recognized as a violation of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act (Fair Trade Act). The Fair Trade Act prohibits business organizations such as the Knights Association from unreasonably restricting members’ activities. However, the FTC explained, “In professional sports, there is an inevitable aspect for the event organizer to intervene and limit the selection of participants and distribution of profits.” The Korean origin was judged as a’game organizer’ who manages various competitions and games and manages professional articles.

In particular, regarding the articles of incorporation that prevented the withdrawal of the Knights Association, the FTC said, “Restrictions on the selection of players are allowed, even if they are somewhat anti-competitive.” Korea Origin is a foundation that was founded in 1954 and celebrates its 67th anniversary this year.

The Fair Trade Commission saw that the act of deducting the prize money of the knights’ association was also a practice that other professional sports also run autonomously. In particular, regarding the prize deduction issue raised by Lee Se-dol, he said, “If the article admits to the free withdrawal of individual articles, there is concern about the withdrawal of the article who wins a lot of prize money,” and “may result in a contraction of the professional Go market.” Pointed out.

A professional Go official said, “When Se-dol Lee objected to taking some of the winning prizes from the knights’ club, I know that he responded strongly because he was concerned about the’domino departure’ of other top knights and the weakening of the knighthood base.” Lee Se-dol 9 Dan is currently conducting a knights’ association and civil lawsuit in relation to this case.

An official from the FTC said, “In professional sports, even if there are anti-competitive elements such as the draft system, there is an order that recognizes for the existence of sports.” It is not a matter to judge and correct the restriction of people according to the standards of competition law.”

Sejong = Reporter Seongbin Lim [email protected]