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5G Subscribers Top 1 Million

More than 1 million Koreans had subscribed to 5G mobile services as of Monday, 69 days after they were launched in a somewhat dubious world-first.

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The Science and ICT Ministry on Wednesday said Monday's tally stood at 1,000,300 users. Their number jumped from 271,600 in April to 778,600 in late May.

Initial forecasts were that the 5G uptake would be slow because 5G-enabled smartphones cost between W1.2 and W1.4 million and coverage is limited (US$1=W1,183). But Korea's three major mobile providers and smartphone makers cut prices by more than half with discounts on their subscriptions.

"Currently there are only two 5G-enabled smartphone brands, but more are about to be released, a ministry official said. "Customers will have a wider choice of 5G smartphones in the second half of this year".

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