A National Assemblyman of Korea argued that Korean consumers pay more for mobile phones than consumers in other countries due to WIPI platform, which is installed in about 90 percent of mobile phones sold in Korea.

Assemblyman Choi Gu-sik, a member of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Broadcast and Communications Committee of the parliament said that the data he got from related organizations such as Korea Communications Commission revealed that Korean consumers had paid an average of 150,000 to 200,000 won more than foreign consumers.
 
He said that the government regulation on obligatory installment of WIPI platform on mobile phones violated consumers' right to make choices and mobile phone manufacturers have passed the cost to consumers.
 
Assemblyman Choi said that Samsung Soul phone was sold at 699,600 won in Korea. The same phone was priced at 477,940 won (299.5 euro). LG Shine phone, which was prices at 451,000 won in Korea, was sold at 298,000 won to AT&T subscribers in the U.S. 
 
Choi said that the regulation shows the backwardness of local mobile policy and demands sacrifice of local consumers.
 
A local civic group Consumers Korea revealed that Samsung i600 phone's price was the fourth highest in Korea following Turkey, France, and Poland. It conducted the price analysis for 28 countries including the U.S., Japan, and China factoring in the economic status and OECD membership of the countries.

Source:telecomskorea