"Number of Apple AS Centers Less Than Half of Samsung and LG"

85 Stores Nationwide... Samsung Has 178, LG Has 171
Fewer Stores Outside the Capital Region Make Visits Difficult

On the 30th, when Apple's first 5G smartphone, the iPhone 12 series, was officially released in Korea, citizens lined up at the Apple Store on Garosugil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul to purchase the product. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] It has been revealed that Apple's device repair shops are less than half the number of those operated by Samsung Electronics or LG Electronics.

According to data submitted by the National Assembly Legislative Research Office to Yang Jeongsuk, an independent member of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee, the number of Apple's official repair centers in Korea stands at only 85. In comparison, domestic manufacturers Samsung Electronics have 178 and LG Electronics have 171, falling short of even half their numbers.

Apple does not directly operate service centers other than the Apple Store in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Instead, it designates authorized service centers to operate, and if there is no authorized service center, repairs are outsourced through dealerships.

According to data from the market research firm Statcounter, Apple holds a 24.5% share of smartphone sales in Korea. Despite having more than three times the sales share of LG Electronics, which holds 7.4%, the number of service centers is insufficient.

Comparing the number of service centers per 1% market share, Samsung Electronics has 2.6, LG Electronics 13.2, and Apple 4.5. Samsung Electronics has only one-fifth the number of LG Electronics.

Outside the metropolitan area, the number of service centers is low, making it difficult for users to visit. The domestic service centers operated by Apple are most numerous in Seoul and Gyeonggi with 22 each, followed by ▲Busan 6 ▲Gyeongnam 5 ▲Daegu, Incheon, Gyeongbuk, Gwangju, Daejeon, Jeonnam, Gangwon with 3 each ▲Jeonbuk, Chungnam, Ulsan with 2 each ▲Chungbuk, Jeju, Sejong with 1 each.

Assembly member Yang Jeongsuk said, “Apple's service centers are concentrated only in the metropolitan area, so users living in the vast provinces have to endure inconvenience themselves,” adding, “Rather than a sales strategy focused solely on selling many devices, measures should be prepared to improve accessibility to service centers to alleviate consumer inconvenience even slightly.”