Google "Fees Necessary for Android Operation... Exploring Legal Compliance Measures"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] On the 1st, Google announced that it will "seek ways to comply with the law and make a statement" regarding the Google Gapjil Prevention Act (Amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act) passed the day before.

The amendment mainly prohibits app market operators from abusing their position to force mobile content providers to use a specific payment method. South Korea has become the first country in the world to legally block app market operators from mandating in-app payments.

The amendment was proposed after Google decided to expand its mandatory use of its own payment system, currently applied only to games, to all content apps on Google Play starting in October. This policy would impose up to a 30% commission on apps listed on Google Play, sparking strong opposition from the domestic IT industry.

In a statement, Google explained, "Google Play provides various functions beyond simple payment processing."

It added, "The Google Play service fee is used not only to keep Android free but also to enable developers to easily reach global consumers by utilizing various tools and a global platform."

Google further stated, "This is a model that supports consumers in using devices at reasonable prices and helps both the platform and developers achieve financial success."

Additionally, Google noted, "Just as developers incur development costs when creating apps, Google also incurs costs to build and maintain the operating system and app market."

Google said, "We are seeking ways to comply with the law while maintaining a business model that supports a high-quality operating system and app market," and added, "We will share related information within a few weeks."

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