Are Seoul's Mobile Rates Really the Highest? Telecom Industry Refutes "Arbitrary Japanese Statistics"

Ranking Distorted by Applying Outdated, High-Priced Plans

The Korean telecommunications industry has refuted the announcement by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications that Seoul has the highest mobile service charges among major global cities, stating that the comparison was distorted to favor Japan’s perspective.

On the 27th, the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA) commented on the recently released “Survey of International Price Differences in Telecommunication Services” by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, arguing that “there are issues with the objectivity and reliability of the statistics.”

Logos of the three major mobile carriers displayed at a mobile phone retailer in an electronics market in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Previously, Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications compared the top carrier charges across six cities: Seoul, Tokyo, New York, London, Paris, and Dusseldorf. In this survey, the monthly payment for SK Telecom in Seoul for 4G 20GB and 50GB plans was listed at 6,916 yen, the highest among the six cities.

KTOA pointed out that the Japanese ministry excluded the actual options available to Korean consumers. Since 2023, Korean users have been able to subscribe across 4G and 5G plans, and integrated rate plans were also introduced in July. Even for 4G 20GB users, there are available rate plans at around 42,000 won, yet the comparison used the higher past rates, inflating Seoul's charges to the highest level.

The KTOA also highlighted issues in how Japanese rates were calculated. While five countries, including Korea, offer unlimited voice and text, Japan applies extra charges based on usage. The Japanese ministry excluded these additional costs from the calculation, making Japanese rates appear at least 2,000 yen lower. Furthermore, the inclusion of special plans, such as “ahamo”—an online-exclusive brand from NTT Docomo, which is typically excluded from international comparisons—was also raised as problematic.

KTOA explained that if the same criteria were used for recalculation, Japan’s ranking would drop to 4th to 6th place, while Korea would rank in the 3rd to 4th lower mid-tier. Under identical conditions, Japanese rates would rise by 1,294 yen to as much as 7,102 yen compared to the Japanese announcement.

According to data from a 2024 National Assembly forum, Korean rates were below the overseas average in all data usage categories, and the average revenue per user (ARPU) per 1GB of data was 1.01 US dollars, also placing Korea in the lower mid-tier. By contrast, a 2025 survey found that Korea’s download speed reached 973.55 Mbps.

KTOA stated, “Even Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has acknowledged the limitations of international comparisons, such as not reflecting service quality, so rate comparisons based on arbitrary standards should be avoided.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.