Korek Telecom
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq |
Key people | Sirwan Barzani (Founder) |
| Products | Telecommunications |
Number of employees | 2500[1] |
Korek Telecom (Sorani Kurdish: کۆڕەک تیلیکۆم) is an Iraqi telecommunications company in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.[2] In August 2026, all of its assets were ordered to be seized by the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission.
History
In March 2011, France Télécom (now Orange S.A.) acquired a 20% indirect stake in Korek Telecom.[3]
On Jan 1, 2015, Korek launched[4] 3G in Iraq after winning one of the three 3G licenses awarded by the government of Iraq. On Dec 16, 2015, Korek became the first operator in Iraq to launch Free Basics[5] in Iraq in partnership with Internet.org and Facebook.
In March 2023, the company was implicated in a major corruption scandal and found guilty of bribing regulators, self-dealing, diversions of corporate assets, sham loans, and other illegal schemes.[6] The Paris-based International Court of Arbitration found Korek and its founder and controlling shareholder Sirwan Barzani guilty of ‘fraud and corruption’ and awarded $1.65 billion in damages to Iraq Telecom Limited, a joint venture of Kuwaiti company Agility and French Orange Group, and International Holdings.[7]
Shutdown
On 9 August 2026, the Iraqi telecommunications regulator (CMC) ordered the full seizure of all movable and immovable assets belonging to Korek.[8] Korek released a statement complaining about the actions taken against it and pleading to the Iraqi prime minister for intervention. Korek cited a formal agreement reached in 2025 between it and CMC which had been cancelled by the latter. According to CMC, Korek had violated the conditions of the agreement by failing to meet the legal and financial obligations therein, effectively rendering the agreement void.[9][10] The shutdown of the company began on 10 August 2026. On 19 August 2026, CMC urged all Korek users to register with other licensed telecommunications operators and set up alternative authentication and recovery methods in order to avoid losing access to their accounts registered with Korek numbers as well as avoid data loss.[11] On 23 August 2026, Baghdad's Rusafa District Court issued a decision to temporarily suspend CMC's actions against Korek until a formal verdict is reached in court. The decision came after the regulator closed Korek's Baghdad headquarters and outlets in the city.[12] During the Baghdad International Dialogue Conference which was attended by Baleegh Abu Kalal, CMC's director of operations, he stated that 'digital sovereignty' belongs exclusively to the federal government, and that telecommunications companies in Kurdistan Region will pay the price for the debts they owe the government.[13] On 26 August 2026, the Rusafa District Court issued a ruling "overturning the injunction filed by the managing director of Korek Telecom and upholding the CMC’s decision to suspend operations with the company".[14]
See also
- Asiacell
- Zain Iraq
- Telephone numbers in Iraq
References
- ↑ "Agility Press Release". Archived from the original on 2016-05-14. Retrieved 2016-05-14. France Telecom-Orange and Agility to acquire 44% stake in Korek Telecom
- ↑ "A new war in Iraq, now between Shia Arabs and Kurds". The Economist. 16 October 2017.
- ↑ Goldstein, Phil (2011-03-16). "France Telecom invests €175m in Iraqi operator Korek". FierceWireless. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
- ↑ "Extra G". Korek Telecom.
- ↑ "Free Basics". Korek Telecom. Archived from the original on 2016-01-04.
- ↑ "White & Case secures US$1.65 billion arbitration award for Iraq Telecom Limited". White&Case.
- ↑ "ICC finds Korek liable to pay damages to Iraq Telecom". Developing Telecoms.
- ↑ "Korek Accuses Iraq's Telecom Regulator of 'Unlawful' Campaign as Shutdown Looms". Kurdistan 24.
- ↑ "Korek Telecom asks Iraqi PM to intervene over dispute with Iraqi telecom regulator". Rudaw.
- ↑ "Korek Telecom faces complete operational shutdown". Shafaq News.
- ↑ "Iraq telecom regulator urges Korek users to secure backup numbers for account access, recovery". Rudaw.
- ↑ "Court suspends regulator's action against Korek days after offices closed". +964 Media.
- ↑ "أبو كلل: السيادة الرقمية بيد السلطة الاتحادية ولا يمكن توزيعها". Iraqi News Agency (in Arabic).
- ↑ "Iraqi court upholds CMC's decision against Korek, says regulator". The New Region.