Google block watchdog's antitrust probe: lawmaker

SEOUL (Yonhap) - Google Inc. intentionally blocked the country's regulator from searching the Korean office as part of its antitrust probe, a lawmaker claimed Thursday.
Google has been under a probe by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) after NHN Corp. and Daum Communications Corp., the country's two largest Internet search engine operators, filed complaints against the U.S. search engine giant.
Korean Internet firms allege that Google stifled competition in the mobile search market by making it difficult for users to employ rival search engines on Android devices.
Google moved documents and files on to its servers and asked employees to remove files on their personal computers before the FTC raided its office on Sept. 5-6, according to Lee Yong-kyung of the minor opposition Creative Korea Party.
"On the second day of the two-day investigation, Google Korea did not let its employees come to the office, which raises suspicions that Google was trying to intentionally evade the probe," Lee said in a statement.
Following reports that FTC officials are searching Google's Korea office, the U.S. company vowed to collaborate with the commission.
"We will work with the FTC to address any questions they may have about our business," it said on Sept. 7.
FTC officials who were reached for comments did not return calls.