Google - Enforcement
Executive Summary
South Korea's communications regulator fined Google $32 million and Apple $15.6 million for violating the country's Telecommunications Business Act through app store practices including forcing use of their in-app payment systems and charging 26 percent commissions on third-party payments. The regulators found additional violations such as delayed app reviews without explanation and, in Apple's case, discriminatory commission calculations favoring overseas developers over Korean ones. Both co...
What Happened
On October 29, 2026, South Korea's Korea Media and Communications Commission fined Google $32 million and Apple $15.6 million for violating the country's Telecommunications Business Act. The regulator conducted investigations and on-site inspections since 2022, finding that both companies forced developers to use their in-app payment systems, charged 26 percent commissions on third-party payments, prohibited external payment options, and delayed app reviews without clear explanations. Apple was additionally found to have discriminatory commission practices that favored overseas developers over Korean developers by calculating fees differently based on VAT inclusion.
Who Is Affected
South Korean app developers are directly affected, having faced higher effective commission rates and payment restrictions compared to their overseas counterparts. Korean consumers using apps in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store were indirectly impacted through limited payment options and potentially higher prices resulting from the commission structures. Developers outside South Korea benefited from more favorable commission calculations in Apple's case.
Why It Matters
This enforcement action demonstrates regulatory willingness to impose substantial financial penalties on major technology platforms for anti-competitive app store practices and discriminatory treatment of domestic businesses. The required business practice changes - accepting external payments and revising app review procedures - follow similar regulatory interventions in the US and European Union, indicating a global trend toward limiting app store monopolistic controls. The discrimination finding against Apple sets a significant precedent for equal treatment standards across international markets.
What You Should Do
South Korean app developers should review the new compliance requirements and explore implementing external payment options now permitted under the regulatory order. Developers who believe they paid higher commissions due to Apple's discriminatory VAT calculation practices should document their payment history for potential refund claims. All users can monitor whether app prices decrease as developers gain access to lower-cost payment alternatives outside the Apple and Google ecosystems.
Summary generated from verified sources and reviewed before publication. How we summarize.