| Korek Telecom | |
| Type: | Private |
| Key People: | Sirwan Barzani (Founder) |
| Industry: | Telecommunications |
| Products: | Telecommunications |
| Num Employees: | 2500[1] |
| Location: | Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq |
Korek Telecom (کۆڕەک تیلیکۆم) is an Iraqi Kurdish mobile phone operator company in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.[2]
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]