Lawmaker Urges Korea to Back Domestic App Stores at Audit
At an October 12, 2026 National Assembly audit, Kim Jae-won called for domestic platforms in game support criteria and a probe into promotion payments.
At a National Assembly audit on October 12, 2026, lawmaker Kim Jae-won criticized the Korea Creative Content Agency's game support programs for cementing the dominance of Google Play and Apple App Store, and demanded that domestic platforms be specified in release criteria, that extra points be added for listing on domestic platforms, and that domestic platform listing be reflected in distribution evaluation items.
Kim cited the 2025 Republic of Korea Game White Paper, which shows that among 615 Korean game companies with mobile revenue, average sales share was 70.8% for Google Play, 26% for Apple App Store and 2.5% for One Store.
He pointed to KOCCA's 2026 game content production support criteria, whose mobile distribution examples listed only Apple App Store and Google Play, while PC distribution named Steam, Epic Games Store and Stove Indie. KOCCA's Game Together early-entry program, he said, limited mobile release criteria to payment-enabled downloads on at least one of Google Play or Apple App Store.
KOCCA said it would consult with the ministry to consider including domestic platforms and try to reflect this from next year's announcement, according to inven.co.kr.
Kim also urged an investigation into a game that topped Apple App Store sales in about 8 hours and Google Play in 22 hours last June, after a YouTuber with a promotion contract was found to have purchased about 10 million diamonds worth roughly 300 million won. The Game Rating and Administration Committee stated in written answers that current law has no obligation to disclose or indicate the amount or usage of promotion fees paid to BJs or streamers.
Kim said he plans to push an amendment to the Game Industry Promotion Act to ban unfairly buying game products to inflate sales, similar to music industry rules.
Background
In October 2021, eight domestic app market and content companies including One Store, Galaxy Store, Nexon, Netmarble and NCSoft signed a win-win agreement led by the Ministry of Science and ICT, with clause 2 covering non-discriminatory entry and support for domestic content companies. According to data the Ministry of Science and ICT submitted to Kim's office as of September 2026, Nexon had 5 games and Netmarble 2 on One Store, while NCSoft had none; on Galaxy Store, Nexon had 5, Netmarble and NCSoft 1 each. Netmarble's only Galaxy Store title, Seven Knights Rebirth, was added in September 2026.
Quick answers
What did lawmaker Kim Jae-won demand at the National Assembly audit?
Kim demanded that domestic platforms be specified in release criteria, that extra points be added for listing on domestic platforms, and that domestic platform listing be reflected in distribution evaluation items.
What was the mobile sales share by app store?
According to the 2025 Republic of Korea Game White Paper, among 615 Korean game companies with mobile revenue, average sales share was 70.8% for Google Play, 26% for Apple App Store and 2.5% for One Store.
What did KOCCA say about the criteria?
KOCCA said it would consult with the ministry to consider including domestic platforms and try to reflect this from next year's announcement.