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South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has decided to impose fines exceeding 1.6 trillion won on 15 domestic financial firms for colluding in the government bond bidding process over several years, Yonhap and KBS World report. The record penalty targets firms that rigged bids in treasury bond auctions, marking one of the largest antitrust actions in the country's financial sector. The FTC announced the decision on Nov. 11, with the fines totaling 1.62 trillion won, according to Yonhap. Korean media coverage focuses on the scale of the penalty and the years-long collusion, with the watchdog cracking down on market manipulation in state bond sales. Reactions from Korean outlets highlight the significance of the fine as a deterrent, though no specific firm names or individual responses were detailed in the reports.