Regulatory revision opens up South Korean handset market
By Darren Murph 
posted Dec 11th 2008 6:50AM
posted Dec 11th 2008 6:50AM
Good news for South Koreans who love choice; bad news for LG and Samsung... sort of. For those unaware, South Korea is currently under a rule that requires cellphones that connect to the internet to "use domestic software that standardizes network access." In theory, the regulation makes life easier for local software developers, but in reality, it has enabled locally-based LG and Samsung to combine for around 90% of all handset sales in the nation. Moving forward, however, the Korea Communications Commission intends to modify the barrier (effective next April) so that cellphone operators can use "any type of phone" they choose. We suspect three cheers for competition are in order.
Sounds great! Now we can use a MUCH more technologically advanced Motorola or Nokia, phones with DVB-H and 8 megapixel cameras!
oh wait...
This was simply because of the 3G iPhone, I hope you know. KTF put their eggs in the Apple basket while SKT got into bed with HTC. Many have been patiently waiting for the so called "wi-pi" standards to be eased in order to finally facilitate the iPhone's release in S. Korea. Looks like April is going to be the date they can get their fix.