Broadcast Media and Communications Commission Expected to Vote This Month on Fines for Google and Apple’s "Forced In-App Payments"
Kim Jongcheol: "At Final Stage... Final Review Underway"
Nearly Three-Year Delay Since Advance Notice Criticized at Parliamentary Audit
The Broadcast Media and Communications Commission is expected to vote this month on a proposal to impose fines on Google and Apple over alleged violations of the Telecommunications Business Act, including requiring the use of their in-app payment systems.
Kim Jong-cheol, chair of the commission, said on the 12th during a parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee that the proposal was expected to be put to a vote "before October is over." Kim said it was "at the final voting stage" and that the commission was "completing its final review after receiving the parties' opinions and evidence on additional issues."
At a plenary meeting on August 12, the commission heard from Google and Apple and held a question-and-answer session, then decided to vote later on the fines and specific corrective measures. At the time, the commission's secretariat concluded that the two companies had violated the Telecommunications Business Act by requiring app developers to use specific payment methods, imposing unfavorable terms on third-party payments, and delaying app reviews.
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During the parliamentary audit that day, Song Ki-heon, chair of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, criticized the delay, noting that nearly three years had passed since the commission issued its advance notice of the proposed fines in October 2023, yet no final decision had been made. Kim responded that since the commission began operating in April, it had made the case its top priority and had been proceeding with the necessary steps, while safeguarding the parties' procedural rights and carefully examining the issues.
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