South Korea’s communications regulator has fined Google 42.9 billion won and Apple 20.81 billion won over app-market practices after a three-year review. The regulator said both companies required developers to use their own in-app payment systems or unfavorable third-party options, leaving developers facing fees of up to 30 percent. It also found that app reviews were sometimes delayed without clear reasons, while third-party payments introduced after the 2021 law remained only four percentage points cheaper than in-app payments.
Google and Apple must provide links to external payments, improve third-party payment terms and review notices, and complete the corrective measures within three months.