Telecoms Korea reports (via MacNN) that Korean wireless carrier KT has confirmed that it will be carrying the iPhone in that country, although pricing and timing for the launch have yet to be revealed.
Yeon-hak, Kim, KT, CFO, said in the conference call on Friday, "Apple iPhone will be in our smartphone line-up. [We expect that the] iPhone will help to expand the smartphone market and will contribute to increasing the ARPU" (average revenue per user).
However, Kim declined to elaborate with detailed information, including the exact release date.
The report also notes that SK Telecom, South Korea's largest wireless provides, has also claimed to be in talks to offer the iPhone, although there are no signs yet of an impending deal.
Rumors of an iPhone launch in South Korea took hold last year after an Apple job posting suggested the possibility. At the time, it was noted that negotiations were stumbling over a national requirement that all phones in the country utilize Korea's Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability (WIPI). MacNN notes, however, that the requirement was lifted late last year, opening the door for Apple to seriously consider launching the iPhone there.
