Korea’s antitrust watchdog has finalized its investigation into GS, CJ and four other major home shopping companies accused of involvement in “all the gamut of unfair business activities,” a watchdog official said.

“We have completed our investigation into six home shopping companies,” Shin Young-son, secretary-general of the Fair Trade Commission, told a news conference on Thursday on the condition that his remarks be embargoed until Sunday. “Given what we have so far confirmed, it seems like they have been involved in all the gamut of unfair business activities.”

The other home shopping companies also under probe include Hyundai, Lotte, NS and Home & Shopping, he said.

The home shopping companies, among other things, were accused of handing over promotion costs to suppliers and arbitrarily changing terms of contracts with them, the official said.

The FTC plans to finalize its internal evaluation into the case within this year and refer it to a higher-level meeting early next year to determine the level of punishment. (Yonhap)