The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs released a report claiming that mobile communication fees in Japan are lower than in other countries, which sparked backlash from the telecommunications industry after it suggested that Seoul's rates are the highest in the world, surpassing New York.
On September 27, the IT industry reported that the Ministry published the results of a survey comparing mobile communication fees in Seoul, Tokyo, New York, London, Paris, and Düsseldorf.
The survey indicated that SK Telecom's 4G plan for 20GB of data costs 6,916 yen (approximately 69,000 won), the highest among the six cities, more than double that of Tokyo's NTT Docomo (2,974 yen). Seoul also had the highest rates for 5GB and 50GB plans, and ranked second for 100GB. The uniform rate of 6,916 yen was due to a common plan offering 150GB of data. For 5G, the 20GB plan was priced at 4,902 yen, the second highest after New York.
However, the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA) analyzed the Ministry's data and found that it applied outdated, expensive plans rather than the more commonly used ones. Notably, since July, an integrated pricing plan has been available, allowing consumers who use 20GB to subscribe to the 'Direct 42' plan (24GB) for 4,200 yen (approximately 42,000 won), but the Ministry reported it as 6,916 yen.
Conversely, Tokyo's rates were underestimated. Among the six countries surveyed, only Japan charges separately for voice and text usage, while the others offer unlimited services. To match the conditions, Tokyo's rates would need to include an unlimited voice add-on (1,980 yen) and text fees (198 yen), which were excluded from the survey.
The comparison plan itself also used NTT Docomo's online-only second brand 'ahamo,' which existing Docomo subscribers cannot access.
When KTOA applied these conditions to reassess the six cities, the rankings shifted dramatically. Tokyo dropped from 1st-4th place (cheapest) to 4th-6th, with rates increasing by at least 1,294 yen and up to 7,102 yen. Seoul ranked 4th for the 20GB plan at 5,310 yen, 3rd for the 50GB plan at 5,760 yen, and 3rd for unlimited plans at 8,010 yen, placing it in the mid-range for both 4G and 5G.
Other indicators showed similar results. In a 2024 National Assembly discussion, Professor Kim Yong-jae from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies presented a comparison of ten countries, indicating that South Korea's rates were lower than the international average across all usage categories, ranking 3rd-5th. South Korea's average monthly data usage is 28.8GB, the second highest among OECD countries after the United States, but the cost per 1GB is $1.01, placing it in the mid-lower range. The average EBITDA margin for domestic telecom companies is 22.02%, the lowest among major OECD operators.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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