Korea Communication Market Data

Mobile: Korean Mobile Market Overview

As of Q4 2017,

• The number of total mobile connections in Korea is 63.7 million. This indicates that Korea has a mobile penetration rate of 122.9%, considering its population, 51.8 million. The market share of the Korean mobile telecommunications market, in terms of number of connections, of SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ was 47.8% (30.5 million), 31.4% (20.0 million) and 20.7% (13.2 million), respectively, each including MVNO connections leasing the respective networks. 
• The number of total MVNO connections In Korea 7.5 million (11.8% of Total connections in Korea). The numBer of total MNO connections in Korea is 56.1 million, of which SK Telecom had 27.0 million MNO connections (48.1% of total MNO connections in Korea), KT had 16.5 million MNO connections (29.4% of total MNO connections in Korea) and LG U+ 12.6 million MNO connections (22.5% of total MNO connections in Korea), respectively.
• SK Telecom had total 30.5 million connections, of which MNO connections represented 27.0 million (88.7% of SK Telecom’s total connections) and MVNO connections that lease SK Telecom’s mobile network represented 3.4 million (11.3%).
• KT had total 20.0 million connections, of which MNO connections represented 16.5 million (82.4% of KT’s total connections) and MVNO connections that lease KT’s mobile network represented 3.5 million (17.6%).
• LG U+ had total 13.2 million connections, of which MNO connections represented 12.6 million (95.8% of LG U+’s total connections) and MVNO connections that lease LG U+’s mobile network represented 0.6 million (4.2%).
• Korea had 50.4 million 4G LTE connections, which accounted for 79.2% of the total mobile connections in Korea. LTE connections increased during 2011-2017 at a CAGR 86.7%. 
• Korea had 56.1 million mobile phones (smartphones and feature phones), which accounted for 88.0% of the total mobile connections in Korea. Mobile phone penetration rate (% of population) is 108.2%.
• The market share of the Korean wireless telecommunications market, by device type, of Smartphone, feature phone, IoT device and OAM connections was 76.4% (48.7 million), 11.6% (7.4 million), 10.4% (6.6 million) and 1.6% (1.0 million), respectively.  
• Korea had 48.7 million smartphone users, which accounted for 76.4% of the total mobile connections and accounted for 86.8% of the total mobile phones in Korea. Smartphone penetration rate (% of population) is 94.0%. Smartphones increased during 2011-2017 at a CAGR 13.7%.
• Korea had 6.6 million IoT connections, which accounted for 10.4% of the total mobile connections in Korea. IoT connections increased during 2011-2017 at a CAGR 22.2%.

Mobile Connections = Smartphones + Feature Phones + IoT Devices + OAM Connections

Mobile Phones = Smartphones + Feature Phones

OAM Connections: connections such as operator facility-monitoring connections

There are currently 3 mobile operators (MNOs) in Korea (Big 3): SK Telecom, KT and LG U+

MVNOs (40+): CJ Hellovision,  SK Telink, Free Telecom, Egmobile, Unicomz, KT M mobile,Eyes Vision,  Annex Telecom, KCT, Medialog, etc.