South Korea’s antitrust regulator has launched an investigation into the Seoul offices of Arm Holdings as part of a broader review of the company’s global licensing practices, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.
The inquiry follows a complaint filed by Qualcomm, which alleges that Arm has shifted away from its long-standing open licensing model and is now restricting access to key semiconductor and software design technologies. Qualcomm contends that these changes could harm competition in markets that have relied on Arm’s architecture for more than two decades.
Bloomberg News earlier reported that officials from South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) visited Arm’s local office in connection with the case. The KFTC has not publicly commented on the investigation, and it remains unclear what specific remedies or enforcement actions the authority may pursue.
Arm and Qualcomm did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
The investigation underscores rising global scrutiny of Arm’s evolving business model as the company seeks to reshape its licensing framework amid growing competition and industry consolidation.