iPhone Lands In South Korea This Month
Posted 11/23/2009 at 8:27am
| by J.R. Bookwalter

South Korean wireless carrier KT announced today that they’ll begin selling the iPhone this month, as Apple continues to advance on Asian turf.
KT’s launch date is November 28, when they will offer both the 16GB and 32GB versions of the iPhone 3GS, as well as last year’s 8GB iPhone 3G, according to a statement on their website.
South Koreans will apparently get a better deal than Americans, too. KT’s 32GB iPhone 3GS can be had for as little as 132,000 won (roughly $114 USD) with a service contract. But it won’t be an exclusive for long, as another carrier, SK Telecom, is already reportedly in talks with Apple as well.
KT’s announcement comes right on the heels of regulators granting Apple a license to sell the iPhone in South Korea last week. Such “location-based services” require government clearance due to privacy concerns.
According to Apple’s website, the iPhone is now available in over 80 countries. China Unicom launched the device last month in China, although it was a crippled version without Wi-Fi to comply with local regulations, which led to muted initial sales.
Apple is also likely to face an uphill battle for dominance in South Korea, a market mostly ruled by local handset makers such as LG Electronics and Samsung.