South Korea Fines Google and Apple Over $47 Million Over App Stores

South Korea has fined Google and Apple a combined total of more than $47 million after its communications regulator found that both companies broke competition rules in the app store market. The companies must also change how they handle payments and developer commissions.

Google received a penalty of 42.9 billion won, roughly $32 million, while Apple was fined 20.81 billion won, about $15.6 million.

What the investigation found

The Korea Media and Communications Commission has been investigating since 2022. It concluded that the companies pushed users toward in-app payment systems, charged a 26% commission on some payments made through third parties, and restricted payment options outside their app stores.

Investigators also found that some apps faced review delays with no clear explanation, and that developers' questions about those delays went unanswered. The regulator said these practices raised concerns about competition and about developers' freedom to run their own apps.

Changes required

The penalties come with orders to act. Authorities told both companies to allow external payment methods and to revise their app review procedures so that developers are treated more transparently and fairly.

Apple was singled out on one point: it must stop discriminating between domestic and foreign developers. The investigation showed that the company calculated commissions for Korean developers on prices including value-added tax, while foreign developers' commissions were based on prices before tax.

Why it matters

The decision signals tighter oversight of big tech firms' control over app distribution, payments and fees. For developers, the changes could mean more choice in how they offer services and collect payments, and fewer restrictions that raise operating costs or weaken their ability to compete.