Media watchdog says Google, Apple violated laws regarding in-app purchases

South Korea's media watchdog has determined that U.S. tech giants Google and Apple breached laws by exploiting their market dominance in app marketplaces. The Korea Media Communications Commission (KMCC) will decide on the sanctions level during a future meeting. The two companies are accused of circumventing a 2021 amendment to the telecommunications business act, which aimed to stop major app market operators from compelling developers to use their in-app payment systems.

Following the amendment, Google and Apple permitted purchases through third-party payment gateways but charged a 26% transaction fee on non-in-app purchases, a move criticized as nullifying the law. In October 2023, the media watchdog had warned it would impose the maximum fine on the tech giants but had yet to implement such a punishment.