South Korea fines Google and Apple over app store payments

South Korea has issued its first penalties under the 2021 law that was meant to open up app store payments. On 28 October 2026 the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) ruled that Google and Apple broke the Telecommunications Business Act and fined them a combined ₩63.7 billion, about $45 million according to Yonhap.

How much each company has to pay

• Google: ₩42.9 billion (around $32 million).
• Apple: ₩20.81 billion (around $15.6 million).

The regulator also issued corrective orders but said it will not file criminal complaints. It has been investigating both companies since 2022 and first notified them of the suspected violations in October 2023.

What the regulator found

According to the KMCC's announcement, both companies changed their developer terms so that apps could only take payments through the store's own in-app billing or an approved third-party in-app payment system. Other routes, such as sending users to a website to pay, were not allowed.

The commission says third-party payments were made unattractive on purpose: developers were charged a 26% commission, lost some features such as subscription management, and still had to cover their own payment processing costs. It also pointed to specific conditions. Google limited how apps could show different prices for different payment methods, and Apple required developers to submit a separate app if they wanted to use a third-party payment option. In the regulator's view, the overall effect was to force developers onto the companies' own billing.

Two more findings:

• App review delays. Both companies sometimes delayed reviews without giving specific reasons and did not clearly answer developers' questions about the delay or a timeline.
• Different commission maths (Apple only). From July 2015 to January 2023, Apple calculated its 30% cut for overseas developers on the price excluding VAT, but for Korean developers on the price including VAT.

What has to change

The KMCC ordered Google and Apple to allow alternative payment methods, including external payment links within apps, to bring third-party payment fees down to a reasonable level and to improve their app review procedures. Apple must also stop treating domestic and overseas developers differently. Google was told to revise its guidelines for how third-party payment options appear to users, and Apple to drop the separate-app requirement.

Both companies must submit a compliance plan within one month of receiving the orders and implement the changes within three months.

How Google and Apple responded

Google told Yonhap it regrets the decision and said the regulator did not take into account its recent changes that give developers more payment options and lower fees. Apple said it disagrees, noting that more than 90% of the revenue generated in its App Store ecosystem went to developers last year.

What it means for users

Nothing changes on your phone today. If the orders stand, Korean users should start seeing more apps offer a link to pay on the developer's website, sometimes at a lower price, similar to what Apple and Google already allow in the US and the EU. Paying outside the store also means refunds and subscriptions are handled by the developer, so check you're on the real site. Our guide on how to spot fake apps on Google Play has tips that apply to payment pages too. Australia is moving in a similar direction, as we covered in our report on alternative app stores coming to Australia.