This article was published on 2:30 p.m. June 23, 2025, on the ChosunBiz RM Report site.
The Fair Trade Commission confirmed on the 23rd that it conducted a field investigation into allegations of violations of the Agency Act (Law on the Fair Transactions of Agencies) against furniture companies SIDIZ and ILUM. The commission is expanding its official investigation into furniture companies after last week's actions against ACE BED and Hyundai LIVART.
According to the related industry, the Fair Trade Commission dispatched researchers to the headquarters of SIDIZ in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and the headquarters of ILUM in Songpa-gu, Seoul, securing agency contracts and internal documents. This is in relation to allegations of violations of the Agency Act. Both companies are subsidiaries of FURSYS.
SIDIZ is under investigation for allegations of coercion against agency owners regarding mandatory sales targets and advertising and interior policies, based on its nationwide agency network. The other target of the investigation, ILUM, is a premium home and study furniture brand. ILUM simultaneously operates department store, online, and agency distribution networks, facing allegations of coercion against agency owners.
Earlier, on the 16th, the Fair Trade Commission dispatched researchers to the headquarters of Hyundai LIVART and ACE BED, located in Gyeonggi Province, to secure related documents such as agency contracts and internal papers. As these companies operate a nationwide agency network, the aim is to determine whether head offices are coercing promotional expenses or shifting expenses for interior and facilities investments during their operations.
The Fair Trade Commission plans to review the possibility of violations of the Agency Act, corrective orders, and penalty surcharges based on the investigation results. A commission official noted, “We are conducting an official investigation into the furniture industry.”