KT could sell more than 700,000 iPhones in S. Korea: report

SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean mobile carrier KT Corp. will likely sell
more than 700,000 units of the popular iPhone next year if it can remain the
country's sole distributor of Apple Inc.'s flagship phone, a report by Japanese
investment bank Nomura said Wednesday.
KT, South Korea's second-largest mobile carrier, began local sales of the world's
most popular multimedia handset on Nov. 28. KT is so far the only mobile carrier
in the country to have clinched a deal with Apple to sell iPhones and related
mobile services.
"We believe KT will likely sell more than 700,00 iPhones next year on the
assumption that at least 10 percent of KT's new subscriptions are driven by
iPhone demand," said Nomura analyst Stanley Yang, in a research note.
Yang said the fact that KT recorded pre-order sales of 65,000 units of the iPhone
in the six days leading up to its official launch confirmed strong domestic
demand. He said the numbers are noteworthy since KT did not engage in a
significant advertising campaign.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
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