South Korea orders Apple to prevent discriminatory commissions
The regulator fines Apple 20.81 billion won over payment restrictions, app-review delays and discriminatory commissions, and orders changes to its practices.
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The regulator fines Apple 20.81 billion won over payment restrictions, app-review delays and discriminatory commissions, and orders changes to its practices.
South Korea’s Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) ordered Apple to prevent a repeat of commission practices that the regulator found discriminatory against South Korean app developers. Its October 28, 2026 decision also imposed a fine of 20.81 billion won, approximately $15.5 million, 9to5Mac said.
The KMCC said this was its first enforcement case under a 2021 amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act. That amendment prohibited app-market operators from forcing developers to use specific payment methods and unfairly delaying app reviews.
The regulator found that Apple calculated its 30% commission differently for South Korean and overseas developers between July 2015 and January 2023. The difference was whether the price used to calculate the fee included value-added tax (VAT).
| Developer group | Commission rate | Price used to calculate commission |
|---|---|---|
| South Korean developers | 30% | Including VAT |
| Overseas developers | 30% |
The commission fined Google 42.9 billion won and Apple 20.8 billion won and ordered changes that would let developers offer external payment links within apps.
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| Excluding VAT |
Including VAT meant the commission applied to the tax portion as well as the pre-tax price for South Korean developers. Overseas developers’ commissions excluded that tax portion. The KMCC deemed this unequal treatment discriminatory and ordered Apple to take measures to prevent it from recurring.
The broader decision covered forced payment methods, unfair app-review delays and discriminatory commissions. The commission finding applied only to Apple. The payment and review findings also covered Google.
The KMCC said Apple and Google effectively forced developers to use their own in-app payment systems by charging a 26% commission and imposing additional restrictions on third-party alternatives. It also found that the companies delayed app reviews without giving specific reasons or clear answers to developers’ questions about delays and expected timelines.
Both companies must revise their policies to allow external payment methods, address restrictions on developers using alternative payment systems and change their app-review procedures.
Apple said it disagreed with the decision and was evaluating its options under South Korean law, in a response to Reuters carried by 9to5Mac. The company also said it had worked with outside developers to enable innovation through its App Store.