Korean developers want Apple & Google investigated over in-app purchase cost

Apple's only store in South Korea

Following Korea's approval of Apple's plans to remedy its allegedly anti-competitive trading, developers in the region are lobbying for a new investigation into in-app purchases with both Apple and Google. An unspecified number of firms have asked the Korea Communications Commission to investigate the legality of being forced to use these companies' systems.

According to The Korea Herald, an alliance of local startup developers called the Korea Startup Forum, object both to how much Apple and Google charge, and to the absence of any alternatives.

"While the 30 percent commission rate is too high in itself," Consortium president Choi Sung-jin said, "it is more problematic that they force a specific payment system for the app markets."

The group's president added that this is particularly unfair on small companies because larger firms may allegedly have the ability to negotiate their commission rates. Choi Sung-jin also said that Apple and Google could decide to raise their fees without consultation.

Neither Apple nor Google representatives in Korea have commented.

The current dispute between both of these companies and Fortnite developer Epic also involves in-app purchases. Apple separately defended its App Store polices at an antitrust hearing, and also supported research that favorably compared it to other digital marketplaces.