SKT and Shinsegi merger official--finally: after two years of hoops and hurdles, SKT and Shinsegi Telecomm have finally become one. However, as John C. Tanner reports, the Korean government's approval comes with 13 conditions and vaguely defined criteria. (New Analysis).(SK Telecom Company Ltd. and the Ministry of Information and Communications's conditions)

Wireless Asia, January, 2002 by Tanner, John C.

South Korean cellco giant SK Telecom finally received approval in January from the Ministry of Information and Communications to complete its merger with rival Shinsegi Telecomm--25 months after the planned merger was first announced.

But the new combined company will be saddled with conditions designed to curb its ability to dominate Korea's cellular market, yet after all the obstacles both cellcos have had to navigate just to complete the deal, SKT executives may be privately relieved that the deal was allowed at all.

SKT and Shinsegi had hoped to complete the merger on the first day of 2002, having spent half of 2001 and most of 2000 whittling down their combined market share from 57% to under 50% by 30 June, 2001, in order to meet the Fair Trade...

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