유료방송시장에서 IPTV와 케이블TV의 기업결합 심사에 부여된 승인 조건의 타당성 검토: 공정경쟁 및 공익성 제고를 위한 조건을 중심으로

Recently, in the pay-TV market, the Fair Trade Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology approved the integration of the IPTV and cable TV companies through the conditional approval. In a situation where the sale of the MSO could continue, this study examined whether the corrective actions granted by them with the approval of the business combination have validity as a condition to enhance market competition and public interest. As a result, the corrective measures to protect market competition by the FTC may vary depending on the validity of the geographical market definition by region and the 8VSB product market definition. In particular, in the oligopolistic market structure centered on telecommunications companies, the corrective measures for unfair trade practices expected in transactions with PPs were insufficient. In addition, corrective actions to support the effective competition in the mobile telecommunications market were not properly reflected based on the analysis of the effect of business combinations on the market, including the elimination of maverick. On the other hand, as a result of judging the public interest led by the Ministry of Science and Technology, strengthening locality, protecting the rights of viewers, and developing the broadcasting and media industries were presented as the main conditions. However, the effectiveness of the corrective actions granted as a means to enhance locality, such as restrictions on regionalization of local contents and services through IPTV VOD, is insufficient. In view of the high possibility that the Pay-TV market will proceed with a oligopolistic structure centered on the carrier, it is necessary to create a fair competition environment so that online video service providers can exert competitive pressure, and it is necessary to establish a competitive policy that takes into account the specificity of the broadcasting industry.