South Korea Fines Apple and Google Combined $47.5 Million Over App Store Payment Issues

October 28 — According to AppleInsider, after a multi-year investigation, South Korea's Korea Communications Commission fined Apple and Google over their app store practices, with Apple fined $15.5 million and Google fined $32 million. A law passed by South Korea in 2021 stipulates that app stores must not prevent developers from using third-party payment systems. The regulator determined that the two companies nominally allow third-party payments but charge excessively high fees, effectively hindering developers from adopting them. The regulator also found that the two companies delayed app reviews. Under the ruling, the two companies must allow external payment links to be placed within apps and improve their review processes. Previously, the United Kingdom rejected Apple's appeal against a $2 billion App Store fine.