Korea fines Google, Apple combined $47.6 mil. over in-app payment practices

The Korea Media and Communications Commission fined Google and Apple a combined 63.7 billion won on Wednesday in South Korea for practices that it said effectively forced app developers to use the companies’ payment systems. The commission also ordered them to allow links to external payment websites and revise their commission structures within three months of receiving the orders. It said the companies violated the Telecommunications Business Act, which prohibits app market operators from requiring specific payment methods.

The commission imposed fines of 42.9 billion won on Google and 20.81 billion won on Apple, along with corrective orders.

The commission said the companies charged a 26 percent commission and imposed unreasonable conditions on third-party payments.

It found that Apple’s different commission rates for domestic and foreign app developers violated the law.

The commission said the companies unfairly delayed app reviews without giving specific reasons or clear responses about expected review schedules.

Google announced in March that it planned to allow external payment options and lower service fees, with the changes scheduled to take effect on Dec. 31.

Published Oct 28, 2026 5:41 pm KST

Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) Chairperson Kim Jong-cheol bangs the gavel during the commission's plenary session at Government Complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of KMCC

The Korean government on Wednesday slapped Google and Apple with a combined 63.7 billion won ($47.6 million) in fines for practices including forcing app developers to use their in-app payment systems, marking the first enforcement of the relevant provisions since Korea amended its law in 2021 to prohibit such practices.

During a plenary session, the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) imposed fines of 42.9 billion won on Google and 20.81 billion won on Apple, along with corrective orders.

The commission said the U.S. tech giants violated the Telecommunications Business Act, which prohibits app market operators from forcing developers to use specific payment methods.

Google and Apple allowed only their own in-app payment systems and third-party payment options, but imposed a 26 percent commission and unreasonable conditions on third-party payments, effectively forcing developers to use their own systems, according to the commission.

The commission also said the two companies unfairly delayed app reviews by failing to provide specific reasons for delays or clear responses to individual inquiries about the reasons and expected review schedules. The commission also found that Apple's practice of charging different commission rates to domestic and foreign app developers violated the law.

The KMCC ordered the companies to allow links directing users to external payment websites within apps and revise their commission structures. Both companies must implement the corrective measures within three months of receiving the orders.

In 2023, the KMCC notified the two companies of its proposed corrective measures, but the notification was only a preliminary step with no legal effect. It took more than three years for the commission to reach a final decision, making the corrective measures legally binding.

In March this year, Google announced plans to revise its payment policies, including allowing external payment options and lowering service fees, with the changes scheduled to take effect on Dec. 31. However, this was not considered in the KMCC’s decision.

Google Korea released a statement and expressed regret that its efforts to comply with the law and support Korean developers were not fully reflected in the KMCC”s decision.

Some observers also raised concerns that the decision could develop into a trade dispute between Korea and the U.S.

The KMCC said the corrective measures were necessary to protect users' rights and establish fair competition, stressing that it applies relevant laws equally to domestic and foreign companies without discrimination.

"This decision marks the first enforcement action against mandatory in-app payment practices since the law was amended in 2021," the commission said. "It is a significant step toward correcting unlawful practices by app market operators and creating a fair competitive environment."

韩国媒体与通信委员会周三对谷歌和苹果公司处以总计637亿韩元的罚款，理由是两家公司存在强迫应用开发者使用其支付系统的行为。委员会还责令两家公司在收到罚款通知后三个月内，允许应用开发者使用外部支付网站链接，并修改其佣金结构。委员会表示，两家公司违反了《电信业务法》，该法禁止应用市场运营商强制要求使用特定的支付方式。

该委员会对谷歌处以 429 亿韩元的罚款，对苹果处以 208.1 亿韩元的罚款，并下达了整改令。

委员会表示，这些公司收取 26% 的佣金，并对第三方付款施加不合理的条件。

调查发现，苹果公司对国内和国外应用程序开发者采用不同的佣金率违反了法律。

委员会表示，这些公司不公平地拖延了应用程序审核，没有给出具体理由或关于预期审核时间表的明确答复。

谷歌在 3 月份宣布，计划允许外部支付选项并降低服务费，这些变更计划于 12 月 31 日生效。

发布于2026年10月28日下午5:41（韩国标准时间）

韩国媒体传播委员会（KMCC）委员长金钟哲周三在京畿道果川市政府大楼举行的委员会全体会议上敲响法槌。图片由KMCC提供。

韩国政府周三对谷歌和苹果公司处以总计 637 亿韩元（约合 4760 万美元）的罚款，原因是这两家公司存在强迫应用程序开发者使用其应用内支付系统等行为。这是自韩国在 2021 年修改法律禁止此类行为以来，首次对相关条款进行执法。

在一次全体会议上，韩国媒体与通信委员会（KMCC）对谷歌处以 429 亿韩元的罚款，对苹果处以 208.1 亿韩元的罚款，并下达了整改令。

该委员会表示，美国科技巨头违反了《电信商业法》，该法禁止应用市场运营商强迫开发者使用特定的支付方式。

据该委员会称，谷歌和苹果只允许使用自己的应用内支付系统和第三方支付选项，但对第三方支付收取 26% 的佣金并附加不合理的条件，实际上迫使开发者使用自己的系统。

委员会还指出，这两家公司未能提供具体的延迟理由，也未能对有关延迟原因和预期审核时间表的个别询问作出明确答复，从而不公平地拖延了应用程序审核。委员会还发现，苹果公司对国内外应用程序开发者收取不同佣金的做法违反了法律。

肯尼亚移动通信委员会（KMCC）责令两家公司允许应用程序内添加指向外部支付网站的链接，并修改佣金结构。两家公司必须在收到命令后三个月内落实整改措施。

2023年，KMCC向这两家公司发出通知，告知其拟采取的整改措施，但该通知仅为初步步骤，不具有法律效力。委员会历经三年多时间才做出最终决定，使整改措施具有法律约束力。

今年 3 月，谷歌宣布计划修改其支付政策，包括允许外部支付选项和降低服务费，这些变更计划于 12 月 31 日生效。然而，KMCC 的决定并未考虑这一点。

谷歌韩国发表声明，对韩国媒体协调委员会的决定未能充分体现其遵守法律和支持韩国开发者的努力表示遗憾。

一些观察人士也担心，这一决定可能会演变成韩国和美国之间的贸易争端。

韩国商贸协调局表示，采取纠正措施是为了保护用户权益，建立公平竞争，并强调对国内外公司一视同仁地适用相关法律，不加歧视。

“这项决定是自2021年法律修订以来，首次针对强制性应用内支付行为采取的执法行动，”委员会表示。“这是纠正应用市场运营商非法行为、创造公平竞争环境的重要一步。”