Wire reporting: (AP, via ClickOrlando), (Reuters, via CNA)

South Korea's Korea Media and Communications Commission on Wednesday fined Google 42.9 billion won and Apple 20.81 billion won for restricting how app developers collect payments, The Korea Herald and Yonhap reported^5,6.

The combined penalty is 63.71 billion won, which The Korea Herald put at $47.6 million and Yonhap at $45 million^5,6.

The commission said the companies abused dominant positions in app stores by pushing developers onto their own billing systems and by delaying reviews, in the first sanctions under a 2021 amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act that bars forcing a specific payment method^5,6.

Both firms technically allowed third-party billing but kept fees and rules that made alternatives unattractive, The Korea Herald reported, including a 26 percent commission on top of developers' own processing costs⁵.

Google limited how developers could display prices across payment methods, and Apple required separate app submissions for third-party billing, according to The Korea Herald⁵.

Yonhap said the regulator ordered the companies to let developers offer alternative payments, including external links in apps, and to set third-party fees at reasonable levels⁶.

Google must revise user-experience rules for third-party payments, and Apple must drop the separate-app requirement, Yonhap reported⁶.

The companies have one month after receiving the orders to submit compliance plans and three months to make the changes, Yonhap said⁶.

The commission will not file criminal complaints, Yonhap reported⁶.

KMCC Chairman Kim Jong-cheol said, "A fair and sustainable app market ecosystem can be achieved through a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship between app market operators and developers," according to Yonhap⁶.

Google expressed regret and said the commission had not accounted for recent policy changes that expand payment options and cut fees, Yonhap reported; CNA, carrying Reuters, said Google did not immediately comment^6,3.

Apple said it disagreed with the decision and is reviewing next steps under Korean law, Yonhap reported, adding that it believes changes already made comply with the act^6,3.