Apple to allow independent payment systems in South Korea, still intends to charge fees

Apple said it would allow third-party payment solutions in South Korea following last year’s adoption of the law which banned app store operators from forcing their own in-app payment systems.

Apple said it is willing to comply with the requirements of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC). It will still charge a fee from transactions made via the alternative payment systems, but it will be a lower fee than the current 30 percent charge.

Epic’s Tim Sweeney called Apple’s plans “outrageous.” He believes the company should charge no fees at all for payments it is not even processing.

In November, Google also responded to South Korea’s new legislation by promising an alternative payment system at a reduced charge. Both Apple and Google insist that charging service fees is necessary to maintain their app stores.

The exact details of when and how the alternative payment options will be made available to devs remain unknown. One thing is certain, though: regardless of when the external payment systems are rolled out, they will be limited to South Korea.