iPhone gets official government approval in South Korea

sk-iphone

A little while back, we wrote about the Korea Communications Commission’s decision to make an exception for the iPhone, essentially clearing the way for Apple to submit the phone for radio approval (a la FCC procedures in the States). Now, two months later, the KCC has officially approved Apple’s iPhone for sale in South Korea.

No doubt, this is a shining example of the impact of the KCC’s decision late last year to allow foreign handset manufacturers to sell mobile phones in South Korea after April 1, 2009 without Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability (WIPI) technology built-in.

Anyhoo, the KCC’s ruling says that the iPhone can now be launched at any time. Thus, it makes sense that two of the biggest mobile carriers in South Korea, KT Corp. and SK Telecom Co., have already been talking to Apple about selling its flagship mobile phone. Not surprisingly, neither of the carriers, nor Apple, has made any mention of if or when it might begin to sell the biggest mobile thing since wireless sliced bread. Either way, Samsung and LG must be really excited about the news.