Seoul, Nov 27 (NationPress) Google is set to introduce a more affordable variant of its YouTube Premium subscription that will exclude the music streaming service in South Korea, as announced by the nation’s antitrust authority on Thursday after an extensive investigation into potential anti-competitive behaviors.

This initiative is part of a self-imposed corrective strategy agreed upon by the tech giant and the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), which has been scrutinizing the company over allegations that bundling YouTube Music with YouTube Premium breached fair trade regulations, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency.

The FTC revealed that Google will roll out YouTube Premium Lite, a video-only subscription that provides ad-free viewing, background playback, and offline access. Existing subscriptions for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium will remain available.

YouTube Premium Lite is anticipated to be priced at 8,500 won (approximately US$5.80) per month for Android and web users, while iOS users will pay 10,900 won monthly. Currently, YouTube Premium is available for 14,900 won, and YouTube Music is priced separately at 11,990 won per month.

This new service, which is already being offered in 19 other countries, will debut in South Korea at the most competitive price compared to other significant markets, as stated by officials.

According to an FTC representative, "This pricing will remain stable for at least one year and, even with potential adjustments, will continue to be lower than prices in major foreign markets for up to four years."

Google must initiate YouTube Premium Lite within 90 days of the consent decision.

In July of the previous year, the FTC issued a report akin to a formal prosecution complaint, alleging that Google Korea unfairly bundled YouTube Music with YouTube Premium, thus limiting consumer choices and abusing its market power.

The regulator contends that Google’s practices effectively coerced consumers into subscribing to both services, restricting options for those interested only in ad-free video streaming.

Instead of engaging in a lengthy legal confrontation, Google has proposed a corrective action plan through the FTC’s procedure known as a "consent decision." This process allows the FTC to halt its investigation if the company voluntarily suggests measures that address the alleged consumer harm.

Some critics have questioned whether referencing the consent decision without confirming the legality of Google’s alleged violations provides the company with an undeserved advantage.

The FTC emphasized that the consent decision system is commonly employed internationally as a method to swiftly and efficiently restore competitive conditions and implement essential corrective actions.