Qualcomm asked to build research lab in S. Korea amid antitrust probe

SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run trade agency said Wednesday it
has asked Qualcomm Inc. to open a research facility here, as the U.S. maker of
mobile-phone chips awaits a ruling from Seoul's anti-trust regulator.
Qualcomm, the world's largest maker of chips for mobile phones, is interested in
investing in smaller South Korean technology firms, Paul Jacobs, its chief
executive, said in a meeting with Cho Hwan-eik, president of the Korea
Trade-Investment Promotions Agency (KOTRA).
"South Korea's information-technology market is an attractive market for a global
IT company to test its new technology and products," Cho said in a statement.
"KOTRA will actively help Qualcomm cooperate with South Korean firms."
On Tuesday, Jacobs met South Korean Knowledge Economy Minister Lee Youn-ho to
discuss Qualcomm's investment plan, the ministry said, adding it will accept
applications from local technology firms who want to receive investments from
Qualcomm until October.
Jacobs' visit to South Korea came as the nation's Fair Trade Commission prepared
to wrap up its anti-trust investigation into the wireless chipmaker.
The regulator launched an investigation into Qualcomm in 2006 after a local
company that makes software for mobile phones, Nextreaming Corp., filed a
complaint claiming the U.S. company hindered competition by unfairly bundling its
products.
Officials at Qualcomm's Korean unit were not immediately available for comment.
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