'Galaxy S22' Official Subsidy Up to 240,000 KRW, Free with Optional Contract Discount?

Public Subsidies from the Three Mobile Carriers at Half the Level of the Previous Cycle

On the 10th, the 'Galaxy S22' was exhibited at the Samsung Electronics Delight Shop in Seocho-gu, Seoul. On this day, Samsung Electronics held an Unpacked event and unveiled the new product 'Galaxy S22 series.' It is sold in three models: the standard Galaxy S22, the large-screen mid-range Galaxy S22+, and the phablet premium Galaxy S22 Ultra equipped with an S Pen. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus, the three mobile carriers, have begun pre-orders for the Samsung Electronics Galaxy S22 and have announced official subsidies to attract 5G subscribers. The three carriers are offering official subsidies of up to 240,000 KRW for the 'Galaxy S22'. Additional subsidies provided by retailers and others amount to 15% of the carrier's official subsidy, up to 36,000 KRW.

According to the telecommunications industry on the 14th, KT set official subsidies ranging from 53,000 to 240,000 KRW for the Galaxy S22 depending on the plan. KT offers an official subsidy of 240,000 KRW for the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra under the 'Super Plan Premium Choice' (130,000 KRW/month) plan. LG Uplus announced official subsidies ranging from 80,000 to 230,000 KRW. SK Telecom also decided to provide subsidies ranging from 80,700 to 185,000 KRW. With additional dealer subsidies (15% of the official subsidy), smartphone prices will be further reduced. The prices for the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra are 999,900 KRW, 1,199,000 KRW, and between 1,452,000 to 1,551,000 KRW, respectively. Since last year, the three carriers have implemented measures to increase transparency in sales incentives. Sales incentives, which were previously communicated verbally to distribution channels, are now allocated using a standard form, and the incentives provided are recorded electronically. If customers choose the highest-tier plan to purchase the Galaxy S22, they can receive additional subsidies on top of the official subsidy, lowering the actual purchase price to the low 700,000 KRW range. However, except for some high-priced plans, it is generally more advantageous to choose the contract discount option for most plans. The announced official subsidies are subject to change and will be finalized on the launch date, the 22nd.

The official subsidy for the Galaxy S22 is about half that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S21. When LG Uplus set the subsidy for the Galaxy S21 at up to 500,000 KRW, KT and SK Telecom also raised their subsidies to 500,000 KRW to gain a competitive edge. An industry insider explained, "The official subsidies for the Galaxy S21 increased due to fierce competition among carriers," adding, "Since the 'Z Flip3' is a high-priced product itself, the official subsidy was set high." The Galaxy S22 series will be available for pre-order from today until the 21st, with activation starting on the 22nd. The official release date is the 25th.

LG Uplus Official Subsidy

Intense competition to attract customers is expected again this year. Carriers are offering various benefits to secure pre-order customers. LG Uplus is promoting a '0 KRW customer burden' based on the contract discount. When combined with partner card discounts (Hana Card) of up to 600,000 KRW, used phone trade-in discounts up to 480,000 KRW, and special additional used phone trade-in discounts up to 150,000 KRW, the smartphone price effectively becomes free. Additionally, luxury goods and limited-edition sneakers are offered as gifts. Used phone trade-in bonuses (up to 560,000 KRW) are also supported by SK Telecom and KT. For pre-order customers of the Galaxy S22, SK Telecom has prepared unique benefits including the first issuance of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and membership perks in collaboration with the lifestyle brand ‘Peaches.’, fan meeting events with celebrities such as Kim Yuna, Faker, and professional golfer Kim Han-byul, a Galaxy S22 popup store in the metaverse platform Ifland where customers can experience and consult directly, and limited-edition Galaxy S22 Mercedes-EQ and Mark & Lona editions. KT offers a 100,000 KRW coupon for Samsung product purchases along with KT-exclusive benefits, and a lottery for a one-year Naver Plus Membership or a three-month Genie Music subscription. When subscribing to the ‘Galaxy S22 Ultra,’ customers can enter a lottery for a 150,000 KRW Samsung product purchase coupon and KT-exclusive ‘LAMY S Pen’ benefits.

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