"I am Korean" CEO of US game company with 8 trillion won assets, reason for unexpected remark

'In-App Payment Mandate Ban Law' Passed in Plenary Session
Epic Games CEO in Lawsuit with Apple Welcomes 'Google Gapjil Prevention Act'

Epic Games' CEO Tim Sweeney
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] After South Korea became the first country in the world to pass the 'In-App Payment Mandatory Prohibition Act,' Tim Sweeney, CEO of the American company Epic Games, made a spontaneous remark saying, "I am Korean," and cheered.

Photo by Tim Sweeney, captured from Twitter

'In-app payment' refers to a payment method where Google and Apple require paid apps and content to be purchased only through their internally developed payment systems. Regarding this, Epic Games stated, "Apple's in-app payment commission is excessive," and introduced its own payment system in its game 'Fortnite.' Apple then removed Epic Games from the App Store, claiming they violated the rules.

Subsequently, Epic Games filed a lawsuit accusing Apple of violating antitrust laws, and even Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared in court. Currently, both companies have completed all trial procedures and are awaiting the first-instance verdict.

The so-called 'Google Abuse Prevention Act,' which prevents application (app) market operators such as Google from forcing specific payment methods, is being passed at the plenary session held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 31st.
Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, the South Korean National Assembly passed the 'In-App Payment Mandatory Prohibition Act (Amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act)' on the 31st, becoming the first in the world to prohibit app market operators from forcing mobile content providers to use specific payment methods. This law can prevent Apple from forcing the use of its in-app payment system on iOS apps and from taking up to 30% commission on app sales.

In response, Tim Sweeney posted on his social media on the 31st (local time), saying, "Korea is the global leader of open platforms," and cheered, "Developers worldwide can proudly say, 'I am Korean.'"

He added, "Korea has rejected the monopoly of digital commerce and recognized open platforms as a right. This is a significant milestone in the 45-year history since the spread of personal computers. The beginning of history was Cupertino (referring to Silicon Valley), but today the forefront is Seoul."

CEO Sweeney's expression "I am Korean" appears to be borrowed from a speech made by former President Kennedy during his visit to West Berlin, West Germany, on June 26, 1963.

At that time, President Kennedy visited West Berlin and said, "The proudest words in the free world are undoubtedly 'Ich bin ein Berliner' (I am a Berliner)." Germany was divided into East and West, and West Berlin was an isolated territory surrounded by East Germany. His message emphasized the importance of the free world to the citizens of West Berlin and offered encouragement.

Meanwhile, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is known to be a wealthy individual with assets worth $7.4 billion (approximately 8.56 trillion KRW) according to Forbes.

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