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Korek Telecom (Sorani Kurdish: کۆڕەک تیلیکۆم) is an Iraqi Kurdish mobile phone operator company in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.[2]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2000; 24 years ago (2000) |
| Headquarters | Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq |
Key people | Sirwan Barzani (Founder) |
| Products | Telecommunications |
Number of employees | 2500[1] |
| Website | korektele.com |
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 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]
In March 2023, 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]