Motorola closing operations in South Korea
![A woman rides past a Motorola shop in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Motorola Mobility confirmed that it is shutting down most of its operations in South Korea as part of a move to consolidate research after being bought by Google this year. A woman rides past a Motorola shop in downtown Ho Chi Minh City](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2012/awomanridesp.jpg)
Motorola Mobility on Monday confirmed that it is shutting down most of its operations in South Korea as part of a move to consolidate research after being bought by Google this year.
"This was a difficult but necessary decision," Motorola said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.
"The changes in Korea reflect our plans to consolidate our global R&D efforts to foster collaboration, and to focus more attention on markets where we are best positioned to compete effectively."
California-based Google said in August that it would lay off about 4,000 employees at Motorola, which it purchased in a deal valued at $12.5 billion, in order to return the company to profitability.
(c) 2012 AFP