South Korea likely to pass prohibitive app store legislation on Wednesday, report says

South Korea is poised to be the first country in the world to pass legislation targeting the management of app stores run by Apple and Google, with lawmakers reportedly likely to vote in favor of more stringent rules on Wednesday.The bill, which amends South Korea's Telecommunications Business Act, is being dubbed the "Anti-Google law" by local media for its targeted language against owners of digital app stores. It is designed to force Apple and Google to allow alternative payment methods for in-app purchases, as well as place prohibitions on app store rules that would dissuade developers from marketing their wares on other platforms.Currently, Apple takes an up to 30% cut of all in-app purchases and Google plans to implement a similar strategy next year.The legislation passed committee scrutiny in the Korean National Assembly in July with minor resistance and now faces a vote in the judiciary committee before being sent to the full assembly and ratification by President Moon Jae-in.

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