South Korea denies fines for Google and Apple have been decided
The regulator says no decision has yet been made on mandatory in-app payments.
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South Korea has rejected claims that Google and Apple have already been definitively fined over their app payment policies. According to the communications and media regulator responsible, the commission still has to deliberate and vote on any sanctions.
The confusion arose after reports that Google and Apple would jointly be fined tens of billions of won. South Korea’s Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission subsequently said that the procedure had not yet been completed.
The commission is investigating whether the companies forced developers to use their own payment systems in breach of the Telecommunication Business Act. South Korea has had rules in place for several years restricting major app platforms from requiring a single payment method.
According to the regulator, it has not yet been established whether an infringement occurred, how high any fine might be or what remedial measures could be imposed. It is therefore also unclear whether both companies will receive the same sanction.
The case is relevant to developers because payments through app stores affect how revenue is divided. Apple and Google generally charge a commission on transactions processed through their platforms. South Korea is seeking to create room for alternative payment methods through its legislation, but its application has led to new disputes.
The commission published its clarification after a South Korean newspaper reported that fines of approximately 42.9 billion won for Google and 20.8 billion won for Apple would be imposed. Those amounts were not confirmed in the official statement.
The regulator did say that the case remained on the agenda and that a decision was expected before the end of the month. That makes a formal decision in the short term possible, but there was no such decision on 27 October.
The procedure is of interest to European companies and developers because the European Union also applies stricter rules to dominant digital platforms. A South Korean decision could additionally pressure platform companies to adjust their payment policies worldwide. However, it is too early to say that the South Korean case will lead to such a broader change.
Reports of possible sanctions do not mean that definitive fines have been imposed. In this case, the regulator itself says that the key procedural step still has to take place.
Also show the region and a close-up
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The South Korean regulator is investigating Google and Apple over requiring in-app payments.
- As of 27 October 2026, the sanctions, amount and remedial measures had not been definitively established.
- The case falls under South Korea’s Telecommunication Business Act.
Left
Arguments Platform companies have so much market power that developers should be able to offer alternatives. Strict fines and mandatory openness are seen as protecting smaller businesses and consumers from high commissions.
Values Digital public space, fair competition and protection of dependent market participants.
Consequences More choice for developers could stimulate innovation, but platform companies could introduce stricter controls or higher fees elsewhere.
Centre
Arguments Regulators must establish whether the law was actually breached and which measure would be proportionate. A clear procedure and the same rules for all platform companies matter more than a swift, high fine.
Values Legal certainty, proportionality and institutional independence.
Consequences A carefully considered decision may be more robust legally, but it leaves developers in uncertainty for longer.
Right
Arguments App stores are private platforms that provide infrastructure, security and distribution. From this perspective, excessively heavy regulation could harm investment, security and the quality of ecosystems.
Values Property, freedom to conduct business and scope for innovation.
Consequences Less intervention could preserve efficiency, but might leave developers dependent on dominant platforms.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The official regulator confirms that no decision on sanctions has yet been made. The initial reporting about definitive fines has therefore not been presented as fact.
- confirmed South Korea has not yet imposed definitive fines on Google and Apple. — The responsible commission says that deliberation and decision-making have not yet been completed. source
- confirmed The case concerns mandatory in-app payments. — The official statement and SBS describe the investigation into in-app payment policies. source
- confirmed The previously mentioned fine amounts have not been officially confirmed. — The official statement says that the sanction and its specific details have not yet been established. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: Google and Apple will jointly receive a fine of tens of billions of won.Now: No decision has yet been made on possible fines for Google and Apple. (The South Korean regulator denied that sanctions and amounts had already been established.)
Editor's note
The original headline suggested that definitive fines had been imposed. The official South Korean statement says that the decision and amounts have not yet been established; the article has been amended accordingly.Sources
- Sancties rond verplichte in-appbetalingen zijn nog niet vastgesteld — Korea.kr / Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission
- Commission expected to fine Google and Apple over in-app payments — SBS News
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „zuid-korea google”
- FD — „zuid-korea google”
- Trouw — „zuid-korea google”