Oct 28, 2026
South Korea’s media and telecommunications regulator ordered Google and Apple to pay a combined 63.7 billion won, or about 42.7 million euros, according to Euronews. The Korea Media and Communications Commission accused the two companies of using their app store positions to steer developers toward their own payment tools and of delaying app reviews.
The regulator fined Google 42.9 billion won, roughly 28.7 million euros, and Apple 20.8 billion won, about 13.9 million euros, following an investigation that started in August 2022. It concluded that both firms violated a 2021 law barring app store operators from requiring developers to use a specific payment system, a rule South Korea was the first country to enforce.
Although Google and Apple nominally permitted developers to offer alternative payment systems within their apps, they charged a 26 percent commission on those transactions, only slightly below the 30 percent applied to their own systems, and withheld some features. The commission said this left developers with little practical choice. Payments made through external websites were blocked entirely.
The regulator also found that the companies stalled app reviews without adequately explaining the reasons to developers or indicating when reviews would resume. Apple was additionally found to have charged South Korean developers more than those elsewhere between 2015 and January 2023, because it calculated commissions on prices that included value-added tax.
Both companies must now allow South Korean developers to place links to outside payment options in their apps and improve their review processes. They have one month to submit plans and three months to implement the changes. Commission chair Kim Jong-cheol expressed hope that the sanctions would bring real change to the market and reiterated that South Korean law would apply equally to domestic and foreign companies. Google and Apple have not yet responded publicly to the decision.
The case mirrors regulatory battles in the European Union, where the Digital Markets Act prohibits so-called gatekeepers from preventing developers from directing users to cheaper deals. In April 2025, Apple was fined 500 million euros by the European Commission under the DMA for blocking such steering on its app store, a decision it has appealed. In August this year, Apple announced new EU terms taking effect on 1 October, cutting its standard commission on in-app purchases to 26 percent from 30 percent and setting a 15 percent rate when developers send users elsewhere to complete a purchase.
Google was fined 890 million euros by Brussels in July, including 430 million euros for restricting developers on Google Play from pointing users to cheaper purchase options. It has since changed some fees and terms on Google Play, which the Commission is still assessing, and has appealed the fines.
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1. INTRODUCTION
Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
- REPORT DESCRIPTION
- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
- DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
- GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS
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2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A Quick Overview of Market Performance
- KEY FINDINGS
- MARKET TRENDS This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
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3. MARKET OVERVIEW
Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
- MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- MARKET FORECAST TO 2035
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4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION
Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
- This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
- TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
- BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
- MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
- MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
- MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT
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5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES
Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
- This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
- TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
- TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
- TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
- LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES
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6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS
Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
- This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
- TOP OVERSEAS MARKETS FOR EXPORTING YOUR PRODUCT
- TOP CONSUMING MARKETS
- UNSATURATED MARKETS
- TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
- MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS
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7. PRODUCTION
The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry
- PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
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8. IMPORTS
The Largest Import Supplying Countries
- IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
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9. EXPORTS
The Largest Destinations for Exports
- EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
- EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
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10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS
The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
- This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
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11. COUNTRY PROFILES
The Largest Markets And Their Profiles
This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional Edition PRO
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11.1
United States
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.2
China
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.3
Japan
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.4
Germany
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.5
United Kingdom
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.6
France
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.7
Brazil
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.8
Italy
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.9
Russian Federation
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.10
India
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.11
Canada
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.12
Australia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.13
Republic of Korea
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.14
Spain
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.15
Mexico
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.16
Indonesia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.17
Netherlands
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.18
Turkey
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.19
Saudi Arabia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.20
Switzerland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.21
Sweden
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.22
Nigeria
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.23
Poland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.24
Belgium
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.25
Argentina
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.26
Norway
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.27
Austria
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.28
Thailand
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.29
United Arab Emirates
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.30
Colombia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.31
Denmark
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.32
South Africa
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.33
Malaysia
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.34
Israel
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.35
Singapore
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.36
Egypt
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.37
Philippines
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.38
Finland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.39
Chile
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.40
Ireland
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.41
Pakistan
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.42
Greece
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.43
Portugal
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.44
Kazakhstan
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.45
Algeria
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.46
Czech Republic
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.47
Qatar
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.48
Peru
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.49
Romania
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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11.50
Vietnam
- Market Size
- Production
- Imports
- Exports
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LIST OF TABLES
- Key Findings In 2025
- Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Per Capita Consumption, by Country, 2022–2025
- Production, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Import Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Export Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
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LIST OF FIGURES
- Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Consumption, by Country, 2025
- Market Volume Forecast to 2035
- Market Value Forecast to 2035
- Market Size and Growth, By Product
- Average Per Capita Consumption, By Product
- Exports and Growth, By Product
- Export Prices and Growth, By Product
- Production Volume and Growth
- Exports and Growth
- Export Prices and Growth
- Market Size and Growth
- Per Capita Consumption
- Imports and Growth
- Import Prices
- Production, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Production, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Production, by Country, 2025
- Production, In Physical Terms, by Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2025
- Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Imports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Import Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2025
- Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Exports, In Value Terms, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
- Export Prices, By Country: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)